Internet Tip of the Day
Tuesday August 22, 2000

Break the Chain 
Chain letters circulated over email can be more than a mere inconvenience to recipients. More often than not, they tend to spread misinformation. Chain letters promising free merchandise or money from large corporations rarely prove true. In particular, letters claiming to "track" email addresses are fakes, as such operations would require an attached program or embedded URL in order to work effectively. Large corporations will advertise promotions on their Web sites rather than circulating promises via chain letters.

Also beware of chain letters explaining someone's chronic illness, as these are rarely true cases, and many innocent and healthy people have found themselves subjects of such rumors. Remember that the more times something has been forwarded, the further away you get from the original source.

You can usually detect false offers by visiting a corporation's Web site, where valid offers will be listed. In addition, you can find online resources warning against Internet hoaxes and false virus warnings. For information, check out CNET's favorite net hoaxes.

Internet hoaxes:
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html

False virus warnings:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

CNET's favorite net hoaxes:
http://www.cnet.com/techtrends/0-6014-7-1427917.html

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Create Stationery and Signatures
Outlook Express

You can create "stationery" that contains a signature file, background images, specific fonts, or your digital business card  to use for all your outgoing messages.
 
<!-- begin beforeustart --> 
<!-- end beforeustart --><!-- begin screenshot --><!-- end screenshot -->When you create stationery, your font settings and/or stationery picture are automatically added to all outgoing messages, but you can choose to have your vCard and signature added either to all messages or to individual ones.
 
1. From the toolbar, select Tools/Stationery.

2. On the Mail tab of the dialog box that appears, choose the elements you want to include.

3. To set a specific font style, click the Font Settings button and make your choices.

4. To add a background image, click Select and pick from the available options.

5. To create a signature file, click Signature. In the Signature dialog box, type the text you want to add at the bottom of messages. For example, you might add your name, title, email address, and work telephone number for messages from your work account. Be sure to indicate whether you want the signature added to all messages or just certain ones.

6. To add a vCard, click Signature, then select a "card" to use from the Card drop-down list. This will take the information from your Address Book and add it to a digital file that's attached to the messages.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Friday August 25, 2000

Go to a Page With Just One Word 

You can type a word in the Address bar and press Ctrl-Enter to automatically add http://www and .com on both sides of the word.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday May 22, 2000

Disable Your Cookies 

Toss your cookies by disabling them within your browser. If you use Internet Explorer, select Internet Options from the Tools pull-down menu and click the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Security category and under the Cookies subheading, check the box labeled Disable All Cookie Use. If you would rather be prompted before accepting cookies, check the box labeled Prompt Before Accepting Cookies located under the Cookies subheading. Netscape Navigator users can disable cookies by selecting Preferences from the Edit pull-down menu. Click the Advanced category heading and select the Disable Cookies option to obliterate cookies completely. To be prompted before cookie acceptance, select the option labeled Warn Me Before Accepting a Cookie.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Thursday July 27, 2000

Speed Up Connections And Shorten Your Cords 

Using a longer telephone cord, or routing two mid-length telephone cords through your telephone and computer hardware, can cause signal degradation. This can often result in slower connections and file transfers. If you do not seem to be connecting at your optimal baud rate, try using shorter or fewer telephone cords. If your trouble persists, contact your ISP or your telephone company to seek resolution. Sometimes certain geographical areas cannot connect at optimal speed.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Tuesday July 18, 2000

Scope Out Your Connection 

Get the scoop on your current Internet connection by running Windows' IP Configuration. To do so, click on the Start key and select the Run command. In the command line box, type WINIPCFG. You will receive information on your IP Configuration, from your current Adapter and IP addresses, to mask and gateway information. For more extensive information, just click on the button labeled More Info. Keep in mind that you must be connected for this process to work effectively.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Thursday July 13, 2000

Fill in Web Forms With Ease 

If you want Opera to fill in Web forms it encounters with your personal information automatically (such as e-mail address and phone number), go to the Preferences menu and select Generic/Personal Information and fill in your details. From now on you will be able to copy those details into any text box or form you come across as you surf the Web. When you find a form, right-click in the text field and select the appropriate text to insert from the context menu.

- Dincer Aydin

Click here to dowload Opera

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Internet Tip of the Day
Wednesday May 17, 2000

Stop Pages From Loading 

Sometimes we all get a case of surfer's regret. We've clicked a link accidentally, a page loads too slowly, or isn't what we expected. If a page hasn't loaded yet, sometimes hitting the Back button will not cause immediate browser response. Instead, first hit the stop button in your browser to keep the page from loading further and then use your Back button to navigate to your previous location

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Internet Tip of the Day
Friday May 5, 2000

Be Your Own P.I. With I.P. Numbers 

Should you receive an e-mail and wish to verify or discover the domain of the sender, you can do so by utilizing the IP address. When you receive a suspect e-mail, simply view the message details or header. In the "Received from" or "From" field, look for a string of numbers separated into four parts by three decimal points. This number is the IP address, and tells you definitely from where it came. You can then use a reverse-IP look-up, in which you can enter the IP address, and pinpoint the domain of the sender.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Thursday April 27, 2000

Don't Bloat Your Message with Quotes 

When sending e-mail, try to keep quoted material to a minimum. Message threads become long quickly simply because of over-quotation. When replying to an e-mail message, delete automatically quoted material when it is not necessary for reference. Keeping quotations down to a minimum will save time, both while reading and checking e-mail.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday April 17, 2000

Quick Fix with Reload 

If your browser encounters trouble displaying graphics properly, perhaps the page simply did not load completely or correctly. If a Web page contains blurred text, erratic lines, or an atypical layout, attempt to load the page again. Simply click your browser's Refresh or Reload button.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday April 3, 2000

Create an E-mail Shortcut 

Here's something that might speed up the creation of new e-mail messages. Right-click your desktop, choose New/Shortcut, enter mailto: as the Command line, click the Next button, name it, and choose Finish. Any time you click that shortcut, it should open a new message in your default e-mail client.

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Paste a URL Into Your E-mail 

How many times have you tried to copy and paste a URL into an e-mail message, only to have it pasted as an attachment instead of text? Kind of annoying, isn't it? To get the text URL into the message, first move your blinking cursor up to the Subject line (or the To, Cc, or Bcc line), and try pasting it there. It should "translate" the URL into plain text. From there, you can cut the text URL from that line, and paste it as text into your message.

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Make Windows 98 Start Up Faster 

To cut the time it takes to start up Windows 98, go to Start/Settings/Control Panel. Double-click System, then click the Performance tab. Press the File System button and select the Floppy Disk tab. Finally, uncheck the "Search For New Floppy Disk …" box. Now when you turn it on, your system won't automatically search for floppies in your disk drive.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday August 28, 2000

Find Related Sites 

If you're browsing a page and you'd like to find similar sites on the Web, click the What's Related button on your toolbar. The pop-up list that appears includes sites similar to or related to the Web page you're currently viewing. To see a Web page view of the list, select Detailed List.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Tuesday August 29, 2000

Restart Windows in a Flash 
Do you get tired of waiting for Windows to restart? Sometimes it can take ages to shut down completely, and then you still have to wait for the computer hardware to reset as well. Next time, try holding down the Shift key as you click OK in the Shut Down Windows dialog (with the "Restart the computer?" radio button selected, naturally). Windows will then restart itself without shutting down the entire computer.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Thursday August 31, 2000

Save a Web Page for Offline Viewing 
To save an entire Web page for offline viewing, select File/Save As, choose a folder for the file, alter the file name (if required), and from the Save As Type drop-down list select Web Page, complete (*.htm,*.html). Then click Save. Anytime you want to view the page again, simply open the file; it will appear as you saw it on the Web, together with all its images, sound files, and so on.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Thursday August 31, 2000

Skip the Recycle Bin 
Take care when using this trick, because it does exactly what it says and there are no second chances. When you delete a file, it's normally moved to the Recycle Bin, where it stays until you empty it. To delete a file permanently and bypass the Recycle Bin, hold down the Shift key while deleting the file. You'll get a pop-up window confirming the deletion; if you click Yes, the file is gone for good.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Friday September 1, 2000

Clean Out Your System Files 
Find the programs that have added themselves to your system files (whether accidentally or on purpose)--these are the ones that open folders on start-up for no particular reason. The Windows 98 tool called the System Configuration Utility (SCU) will help you find them. To use the SCU, select Start/Run. Type msconfig and click OK. When the SCU appears, click the Win.ini tab, then double-click the Windows folder. Check to see if you can locate the offending app in the "load=" or "run=" line. If not, click the Startup tab and look for it there. You'll be shocked by how many programs load themselves onto your system without you even knowing it. Disable any of these apps in Startup by clicking the check mark beside them in the SCU.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Wednesday September 6, 2000

Shut Down Lockups 
How many times does Windows lock up when, of all things, you're doing a simple Shut Down? There are literally hundreds of files, DLLs, and drivers that may have caused the system to hang. One common problem is the sound file that plays when Windows is closing. The sound file can cause the system to hang sometimes because of an IRQ problem, or when the file itself is corrupted.
Next time this happens, try this: Press the Enter key to grab control of the system so that the Shut Down process will stop. Now go to Control Panel and remove or change the sound file that is played during Shut Down.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Monday September 11, 2000

Intermittent Memory Errors 
Some of the most frustrating computer problems are those that occur occasionally, but not regularly. It's annoying to get errors, unplug everything, take the box to the dealer only to be told that the tech "dude" cannot find any problems. (Does he really need a piercing there?) Anyway, these types of intermittent problems are frequently caused by memory errors.

If you keep getting strange errors occasionly, try this:
Turn off and unplug your computer. (If you're uncomfortable working inside your computer, take it to a dealer and tell them to check your memory modules.) Be careful not to "zap" your computer with static. After opening your computer, check each memory module to make sure it is clean, and correctly seated. Blow off dust, or better yet, use a special circuit board cleaner to clean your computer. Don't use just anything - like Windex or Fantastic, for example. Now try reseating your modules, replacing the cover, and rebooting.

If you don't want to go this route, there is commercial software available to check your memory. If you still get errors, it's time to take the PC to the dealer and have it checked out. And when you do find bad memory, toss it.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Monday September 11, 2000

Intermittent Memory Errors 
Some of the most frustrating computer problems are those that occur occasionally, but not regularly. It's annoying to get errors, unplug everything, take the box to the dealer only to be told that the tech "dude" cannot find any problems. (Does he really need a piercing there?) Anyway, these types of intermittent problems are frequently caused by memory errors.

If you keep getting strange errors occasionly, try this:
Turn off and unplug your computer. (If you're uncomfortable working inside your computer, take it to a dealer and tell them to check your memory modules.) Be careful not to "zap" your computer with static. After opening your computer, check each memory module to make sure it is clean, and correctly seated. Blow off dust, or better yet, use a special circuit board cleaner to clean your computer. Don't use just anything - like Windex or Fantastic, for example. Now try reseating your modules, replacing the cover, and rebooting.

If you don't want to go this route, there is commercial software available to check your memory. If you still get errors, it's time to take the PC to the dealer and have it checked out. And when you do find bad memory, toss it.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Wednesday September 13, 2000

Boot Me Up! 
Ever notice that sometimes it takes a few seconds for Windows to begin the reboot process? This is because of an existing, or default parameter that Windows has built in as a delay before the reboot process. If you absolutely want the thing to just get on with it, try this:
Make a copy of your MSDOS.SYS file to anything you want--just remember its original name. Add the parameter BOOTDELAY=0 to the OPTIONS section. Do NOT delete anything. If for some reason, the boot process fails, rename your copied file back to MSDOS.SYS.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday September 11, 2000

Shrink the Toolbar 
To maximize the amount of space used to display actual Web pages, you can switch to a version of the Navigation toolbar that uses smaller icons or plain text. It's easy. Just select Edit/Preferences from the main menu, and select the Appearance category. In the Show Toolbar As area, choose either Pictures Only or Text Only to make the toolbar smaller.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Wednesday September 13, 2000

Open Pages in a New Window 
One of the simplest browsing tips is also my favorite. When going to a new Web page, open the new page in a new browser window if you plan on navigating back to the original page. That way you don't have to wait for the original page to re-load -- just close the new page you opened (click the X in the right-hand corner) and your first page is still there. This is handy if your connection is slow and the sites you visit are large, or if you're searching a lot of different sites and don't want to lose track of your starting point. Clicking through a bunch of sites can lead you far from where you began. Opening new sites in new windows makes it easy to retrace your steps. You can have lots of browser windows open at once, too.

It's easy to open a Web page in a new window. Instead of just clicking on a link, right-click it. A menu will pop up. Click on "Open in New Window." It works the same for Internet Explorer and Netscape.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Thursday September 14, 2000

Funky Graphics 
Got that cool new game? Cool! Then why does that dude's head look like a pumpkin? Why are lines dashing across the screen? Why is my system crashing? Why did I buy this game? Fear not! Some of the newest games require intensive graphics capabilities and the latest hardware to run properly. If you are sure you have the proper card, then it's probably the driver. Do this: Back up your registry, just in case. Also, take 30 seconds and create a boot floppy disk. Now, go to the Web site of your graphics card manufacturer to see if you have the latest driver version. If not, download it. Follow the instructions, and you should be up to date. Huh. Maybe that dude was supposed to have a pumpkin head.

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Microsoft Windows Tip of the Day
Tuesday September 26, 2000

Bad Icons! 
Occasionally, the Icons on a desktop can become corrupted. They start taking bribes, soft money... you know. Sorry, a little humor. Anyway, corrupted icons can be a big mess and cause the casual computer user to want to reinstall Windows 98 to solve the problem. Well, there is an easier way. Reboot your computer into DOS mode and find a hidden file called ShellIconCache located in the Windows directory. Delete it. Now, restart Windows and the cache will be reset.

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Internet Tip of the Day
Monday September 25, 2000

Banner Ads 
Annoyed by flashing banner ads? Distracted by their strobe-like flashing and garish colors? Ever wish you really could punch that monkey? Well, you're not alone. In fact you're in good company -- i.e. "normal." The offending advertisements, usually parked atop the Web page you're visiting, are designed to get your attention. They do it very well, too: The flashing colors and high-speed graphics grab your eye, and the game-like aspects -- punch the monkey, slap me silly; I've even seen one where you shoot your boss (it was on a non-US Web site) -- entice you to click on the ad, thus fulfilling its purpose in life.

These ads are cute the first time you see them, but they get pretty old pretty fast. What can you do to keep that monkey from driving you crazy? It's simple, really. Either scroll the page down an inch or so, just enough to cover the offending ad, or simply hit the refresh (or reload) button. When the page reloads, the offending ad will probably be gone. Of course, the new ad may be as bad or worse than the one that drove you crazy. Which will probably leave you with the urge to slap the adman silly.