Take care of your CDs to keep data from being corrupted (4/7/03)
Here is a bit of advice concerning the care and preservation of CDs.
Many are not aware the data on their CDs is more susceptible to being corrupted because of damage to the label side of a CD than the side on which the data is written. Data files are actually "burned" into a coating on your CD. If you accidentally scratch the burned-in surface of the CD, there's a good chance you may be able to rescue the data by using your CD writing software.
However if you damage the label side of the CD, the data will probably be lost. To access Roxio Easy CD Creator's recovery utility, open the DirectCD Format Utility and click on CD Utilities.
Keep in mind a few important precautions when labeling your CDs. Use only a medium or fine Sharpie. Never use a pen, pencil or ultra-fine Sharpie that might scratch the surface or a marking pen that may contain strong indelible chemicals.
Use only labels made for CD labeling as other labels, such as file folder labels, may contain chemicals that will penetrate the surface of the CD or pull away a portion of the CD's surface. Never use partial labels, as they can adversely affect the critical balance of a spinning CD.
Also, be aware labels such as Post-It notes can come loose inside your CD draw and cause serious damage.
At-home computer repair help
Good Booters who've requested my recommendation for at-home tutors know I've never been comfortable providing it when the request was for one or two focused tutoring sessions addressing a particular computing "how to," "introduction to" or a quick "help me get started with."
I was reluctant because I wasn't aware of anyone who I believed had both the tutoring qualifications and reputation necessary for me to recommend inviting them to your home. Last week, however, I was pleased to learn that two of our consulting technicians are combining their talents and will be offering in addition to their at-home computer repair service a much-needed quality, at-home tutoring service to Lee and North Naples residents.
In my opinion, and I believe I can speak for many of our more than
2,500 members, David Keller and Bill Sklodowski are two of the
most respected computer technicians and tutors in Southwest Florida. If you need
a tutor, e-mail me for details.
XP's System Restore does what it says
(4/14/03)
A feature of my new Windows XP workbook is the concerted effort I made to
present topics in a logical order of importance if one were to use it for more
than just a "when needed" Windows XP reference.
Last week, however, I discovered I had inadvertently misplaced one. The XP
feature I should have made topic IA was System Restore. Why? Because during
several general Q&A sessions concerning backing up one's computer when I
mentioned in passing System Restore, I received all too many blank stares a
bit of a surprise considering it's one of XP and ME's most valuable features and
one I'd assumed everyone would be familiar with.
Let me make it very clear it's not a backup for those things you create and then
name with "Save" or "Save As" and store in your "My Documents" folder for
example, correspondence, photos, address books. "Stuff' should be transcribed
onto an off-computer storage device, preferable a CD, that can be secured
somewhere out of harm's way.
System Restore is a Windows feature first introduced in Millennium and continued
in XP.
Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.
Its purpose is to restore your Windows system to a pre-"boo-boo" time. Your new
computer will have an initial System Restore Point that can return you to the
original Windows configuration should you have a problem setting up your system.
Then as time passes, your computer will create System Checkpoints and Restore
Points.
What I want to emphasize is allowing Windows to create Restore Points isn't
enough. You should ensure you create a Restore Point before installing,
uninstalling or upgrading a program; installing or uninstalling hardware; and
upgrading hardware drivers. Better yet, create a System Restore Point before you
or anyone changes anything that may have a direct or indirect effect on your
Windows operating system.
Here's wishing you a Good Boot.
Digital seminars cover everything a novice photographer has to know (4/21/03)
Most Good Booters know before I recommend a seminar on any computer subject, I must be thoroughly impressed with the presentation and be absolutely convinced it will be of benefit to the novice.
So it's best you pay attention when I tell you that in May and June there are going to be two digital seminars that, if you've become a digital enthusiast, you cannot afford to miss.
Many of you may remember my heads-up articles on the digital camera and photo editing seminars offered last fall and this spring by Dwayne Alton, one of our consulting technicians. They offered everything from what digital camera would best suit your needs to how to edit and manage your digital photographs.
I can say without reservation that in my opinion there's never been a digital seminar series in SWF that has been more successful covering everything a novice digital photographer needed to know to begin his or her adventure.
Well, almost everything.
After attending all the seminars, I suggested to Dwayne he should continue his digital series with seminars that include a bit more "show" with his "tell."
Why not demonstrate photo printing by using a photo/slide printer to print photos or scanning techniques using a scanner?
One of Dwayne's eyebrow-raisers is his comment that you don't need extraordinarily expensive equipment to scan and print photos or burn photos to a CD.
To prove his point, Dwayne's May 10 seminar will be "Scanning, Printing and Managing Digital Photos." At this seminar he'll "walk the talk."
Rather than just discussing the subject, Dwayne will demonstrate the techniques a novice needs to know to successfully scan photos and slides using appropriate but affordable flatbed and slide scanners and then suggest how to manage them when they've been scanned.
Perhaps most important to digital novices, he will demonstrate using a surprisingly inexpensive color printer how to print quality pictures.
His June 14 seminar will be "From 'Click to Burn'."
This seminar should be a hoot! Dwayne will ask early arrivals to volunteer to have their picture taken with an appropriate but affordable digital camera.
He will then demonstrate how to download the photos into a computer and where best to locate them for easy access.
Ah, but that's when the fun will begin!
Using the photos taken at the seminar Dwayne will edit-out blemishes, red-eye and wrinkles and then suggest how best to organize and burn them to a CD.
For Information and registration, go to dwayne@netoffices. com.
Here's wishing you a Good Boot!
Follow Laws of Safe Computing to prevent expensive problems (5/5/03)
Periodically I make it a point to remind Good Booters they can prevent many potential computer problems by adhering to a few basic Laws for Safe Computing.
Technicians will tell you novices who disregard these laws will inevitably require their services. Because of the severity of the consequences of breaking these laws, the cost to restore one's system and rescue data (if, in fact, restore and rescue is possible) will be extraordinary.
Law No. 1: Protect your system from viruses by:
∎ Always running a good antivirus program (I recommend Norton Antivirus) and ensuring it's updated at least every two weeks.
Never opening an e-mail attachment unless you can answer "Yes" to all four of these questions:
Do you know who sent the e-mail?
Do you know what the attachment is?
Do you know what the attachment does?
Did the sender create the attachment? (If the e-mail is forwarded, the answer
to this question is No!)
Never disabling or turning off your anti-virus protection - even if a program installation tells you to do so!
∎ Never allowing unsolicited software to be downloaded or installed on your computer.
Law No. 2: Other than e-mail or downloads from a digital camera, never delete, rename or move any file you didn't put on your hard drive yourself with a program's "Save" or "Save As" command.
Law No. 3: Beware of hoaxes.
Never do anything to your system based on what you read in an unsolicited e-mail message regardless of who it's from or how authentic it looks. Most of these messages are hoaxes designed to corrupt Windows!
Never offer a username, password, Social Security number or credit card number in response to an unsolicited e-mail message regardless of how authentic the message looks.
Law No. 4: Don't try to help Windows:
I recommend novices do not install third-party utility programs like System Works and Cleansweep that claim to help Windows perform better or faster. Windows has all the utilities you'll ever need.
Never install programs claiming to speed up your Internet connection.
Don't change settings in the Windows Control Panel unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Law No. 5: Don't upgrade a program just because an upgrade is available:
Before you upgrade an existing program that's working well, ask yourself, "What feature or features in the new version do I want or need that my current version doesn't provide?"
If your answer is "I don't know," then don't upgrade! Too many software companies release upgrades before they've been thoroughly tested for bugs and compatibility issues.
Here's wishing you a Good Boot.
Surge protector can save your computer (5/12/03)
Every year when Outlook reminds me it's Thunder Boomer time, I chuckle to myself.
Not because the subject is humorous, but because without a doubt Ill receive a sarcastic e-mail from the doubting Thomas who each year reaffirms his belief that because he's never heard of a telephone being damaged by an electrical storm, my warnings concerning "fried" modems is poppycock.
But know that 95 percent of all "fried" computers this season will be because a user doesn't have a surge protector that protects the telephone line to his or her modem from power surges.
I suggest you invest in a surge protector that retails before any on-sale price for at least $40.
I also suggest if your surge protector isn't capable of warning you it's been "surged out" that you consider replacing it at least every two years. I also suggest you check with your homeowner insurance agent.
Many insurance companies cover computer hardware (not software),
Most Good Booters are of a generation that considers reading the newspaper a morning ritual. In fact, I'm ancient enough to remember my folks getting both a morning and evening edition of a Boston newspaper.
Today, unfortunately, too many seem to believe a quick sound byte at 6 p.m. or a few minutes with cable news will keep them informed.
Some of the blame must be attributed to the newsprint industry's procrastination in becoming citizens of cyberspace. However, there's been an extraordinary change of attitude lately.
Locally, you only have to take a look at the News-Press remastered Web site. You should - it's fantastic. My favorite is the seven-day archive site. It's a great help for those "I know I recently read something about that" moments.
Good Boot snowbirds also have taken notice. Many have e-mailed me their compliments; in particular, the improved download speed.
One comment, however, wasn't appreciated. It was that now he could read Good Boot by the fireside on chilly August evenings rather than in the humidity of swamp. I responded to his e-mail by placing a curse on his computer.
Attractive Web site presentations are just the tip of the iceberg. One California newspaper, The Orange County Register (www.ocregister. com) offers an online subscription link that provides the complete content of every page from front-page stories to back page classifieds.
Wouldn't this be a bonanza for those of us who have wives who hide the computer toy advertising in The News-Press?
- Here's wishing you a Good Boot!
Msconfig for experienced users only (5/19/03)
Last week I had lunch with David Keller, my technician. When he asked me to join him for sushi, it was to be (in his words) just an opportunity to catch up on his "making the world safe for computing" activities.
But when he told me it was his treat, I knew his invitation wasn't just to spend a social afternoon at a sushi bar.
David has never recovered from the shock of reading my Good Boot article concerning Msconfig. And every so often he likes to chastise me for not having included an all-in-caps warning that only experienced users should arbitrarily check and uncheck programs running in the background. This was one of those occasions.
I respect David's sincere concern about it the well-helm of his clients. So hat in hand, I must confess to au that" I was remiss in not emphasizing that Msconfig isn't a place to play "I wonder what will happen if l uncheck this box?" In fact, Msconfig is an appropriate place for a Good Boot coin flip.
Unless you're absolutely sure of what you're doing, flip a coin. If it's heads, make no change. If it's tails, make no change. If it stands on end, absolutely don't make a change!
Now a Good Boot good news heads up.
Traditionally, computer education and technical assistance for the Beleaguered Novice has been a frustrating catch-as-catch-can experience. Like- Diogenes who spent his days walking the streets of Athens with a lighted lantern looking for an honest man, the Beleaguered Novice often spends his days searching for a source that will provide reliable advice, assistance, qualified technicians, hands-on training and special interest seminars. One that is a free community wide source of information with no hidden agenda.
This spring there was a quantum leap in the number of Good Boot emails lamenting this dilemma. So I decided to gather about me those who could and would participate in making it possible for novices to get information and assistance conveniently and expeditiously regardless of whether their need was for general or technical assistance or, perhaps, advice on a specific special interest.
They did it! Next season (2003-2004) could go down as the most innovative Help for the Beleaguered Novice season in the computer history of Southwest Florida.
You Can read about it in my free May Good Boot newsletter. Please don't miss this issue. Haven't subscribed? Go to: www.netoffices.com/goodboot/, read or print the May newsletter and subscribe for future newsletters.
Here's wishing you a Good Boot.
Microsoft Works not cheap, but it's hard to beat (5/26/03)
By now most Good Booters know how enamored I am with inexpensive specialty programs that do nothing but get the job done.
Such programs include Second Copy (Centered Systems) for backing up your "Stuff' and Express Assistant and Outback Plus (AJSystems) for backing up Outlook Express and Outlook But I'm also an American taught to believe if it's bigger, costs more and has more bells and whistles, it's got to be better.
This mind-set is the reason I often overlook programs that fall into the Beleaguered Novice category; programs that may not have all the bells and whistles but are comparably inexpensive and will do everything a novice needs to be able to do to kick start their computing career.
For example: Roxio's Photosuite for about $50 rather than Adobe Photoshop for $600. Don't misunderstand me. Photoshop is the state-of - the-art photo editing software program, but if you've mastered it, you're probably no longer a Beleaguered Novice.
My point is, if you're just beginning your computing adventure and you'd like to sample many of the features available in office suites that can cost from $300 to $500, I suggest you consider Microsoft Works. In my opinion it's an extraordinary package that includes:
Word 2002 (Microsoft Office XP's premier word processor)
Works 7.0 (with spreadsheets, a calendar, an address book, a database and more)
Picture It! Photo 7.0 (use photos from digital cameras, scanners, photo CDs and e-mail attachments)
Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2003
Money 2003 Standard (organize and manage your personal finances)
Streets & Trips 2002 (find maps, points of interest, routes and driving directions)
Another advantage of beginning your computing adventure with Works is if you decide to upgrade an activity such as desktop publishing (Publisher) or E-mail/PIM integration (Outlook), Microsoft allows you to purchase these programs separately.
You can upgrade your activities as you wish when you wish.
Another reminder! Remember Compu-Doctor David Keller's First Law of Windows?
Never delete, rename or move any file you didn't put on the hard drive yourself with a program's "Save" or "Save As..." command, copy from a digital camera or receive as e-mail. I'm sure you do, and I know you adhere to David's rules religiously. But keep in mind Mother Nature doesn't always play by Keller's rules.
If you don't have a quality surge protector with a telephone wire passthrough to your modem, she just may send a thunder-boomer that may delete, move and rename all your "stuff!" And all you Cable and DSL folks - remember your computer dial-up modem is probably still connected by a phone line.
Here's wishing you a Good Boot.