** Issue #18 May 1st, 2007 **
|
#1- News, News, News
In This Issue...
#2 - Do you have a buck or two? - Contribute to Dave's computer fund. We're at 44%!
#3 - Things seem to look different part 2! - The hits just keep coming!
#4 - Contest Winner - I've never had this much trouble giving away something!
#5 -Freeze Rows and Columns in MS Excel - How to keep a row or column from scrolling.
#6 - My Recommended Software - Need software? Check this list first!
#7 - Google Exploit? - Reader Herbert asks about Google.
#8 - The Lighter Side - Some humor to lighten your load!
#9 - Useful web sites - Websites I've visited lately that you may find useful.
Welcome New Members!
Leo Notenboom of www.ask-leo.com gave me a very favorable mention in last week's issue of his newsletter. The result is 400 new residents of the Daves Computer Tips neighborhood. Looks like I'll have to raise taxes to install more streetlights! All kidding aside, Thank you Leo and a big Thank You to the new subscribers for taking the time to read my ramblings.
In the next issue...
I know this issue is a little shorter than usual. My crack staff of 1 (me) will try to do better next issue! I always include my email address on my site and in my newsletters. If you have information, links, articles, or other such info you would like to see in my newsletter don't hesitate to send them along! I can't possibly respond to every email, but I try to get through them all and include relevant information in the newsletter.
Here is where I beg!
Please tell a friend, relative, coworker, or stranger about my site and newsletter. Use any means necessary to spread the word about Daves Computer Tips.
As always I appreciate your comments and suggestions about the site and newsletter. If you would like to share please contact me at dave @ davescomputertips.com.
Carol is our resident "Office Goddess". If you have Microsoft Office questions or suggestions for future Office articles shoot her an email at carol @ carolscorneroffice.com.
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#2 - Do you have a buck or two?
I'm asking those that have an extra dollar or two and appreciate the work I do to donate a few of dollars in support of the newsletter. The money will be used to purchase a new computer running Microsoft Vista. The new computer will allow me to begin adding relevant Vista content to the newsletter! There is no pressure to contribute. The only purpose of this request is the purchase of a new computer to further the efforts of my site and newsletter.
Total amount presently in the new computer fund is 44% of the cost, so the purchase is on hold for a while longer. Be assured the money is tucked away and will be used for no other purposes, as I promised.
If you enjoy the Daves Computer Tips Newsletter and find it helpful please donate by clicking the PayPal button below. You may donate any amount you feel comfortable with. Every little bit helps and is appreciated!
#3 - Things seem to look different!
By David Hartsock
Yes, the hits just keep on coming!
I'm either making progress, or have some type of strange web addiction. Maybe a little of both. In the last issue I announced a new Daves Computer Tips banner and several changes. This issue brings many more changes!
Broadband Speed Test
I'm proud to announce the addition of a broadband speed test to Daves Computer Tips! A what? Visitors to Daves Computer Tips now have a convenient and easy way to test the speed of their internet connection. ISP's generally advertise internet speeds that are likely never to be seen by their customers. The reasons are many, and include: computer settings, the ISP, and network traffic. Using this test you can monitor the true speed of your connection, use the results to tweak settings on your computer, or just try it for the heck of it! The test is available from the navigation bar of each page, or directly at www.davescomputertips.com/speedtest/speed-test.html. Thanks to Jim at AuditMyPC.
Page Redesign
If you've visited Daves Computer Tips over the last week you may notice other changes. Gone are the large blue ads on the right side. I've opened up the pages and that width is now available for the content. The ads are still there (someone has to pay the bills), but they have been repositioned to be much less obtrusive.
What's up with those darn buttons? I would not be lying if I told you I have spent 100 hours over the course of the last 10 months designing, changing, moving, and massaging the look of the navigation buttons. I don't understand it myself. I'm no Photoshop expert. I'm not artistic in any sense of the word. One day I will finally be happy with the look.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I truly do care about my readers and visitors. I try (and will continue) to continually improve the information and experience provided by Daves Computer Tips.
What do you think about the new Daves Computer Tips changes?
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#4 - Did you win the contest?
By David S. Hartsock
Never in my life have I had this much trouble giving away something for free! I received no response from the person I emailed prior to the last issue.
As a result I generated another random number and contacted the subscriber associated with that number. Kathy responded immediately! Hopefully she will get her FREE copy of Diskeeper 2007 Pro in the next day or so!
I may be acquiring several additional software licenses, which I had hoped to include in another contest, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort. We'll see.
What is your opinion about future contests?
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#5 - Freezing Rows and Columns in Excel
by Carol A. Bratt
When your worksheet has labels in the top row or left column to describe the data, you can freeze them so that they always appear on screen even when you scroll down or to the right.
When you use the Window | Freeze Panes command, everything above the current row or to the left of the current column is frozen in place. This way, it's always visible to you.
When you have a large worksheet that contains more rows or columns than you ca see on the screen at one time, you find yourself scrolling left and right or up and down to see the cells, which can become a pain.
To freeze cells, follow these steps carefully:
- Set up the screen the way you want it to appear when it is frozen. If necessary, scroll up or down, left or right, so that the correct rows and columns appear on the left and top of the screen.
- Place the active cell in the specific location so that everything you want frozen is above it or to its left.
- Choose Windows | Freeze Panes.
Excel places a thin, dark line above and to the left of the active cell. As you move around the worksheet, the columns and rows slide "behind" the frozen ones, so they always remain in place.
Carol writes the monthly Word Bytes Newsletter with more tips and tricks each issue. Visit Carol's website for more great Microsoft Office tips and tricks! Visit Carol's site at www.carolscorneroffice.com
Did you find Carol's Article helpful?
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#6- My Recommended Software
Anti-spyware and Anti-malware Software
Webroot SpySweeper - Daves Computer Tips Seal of Approval Winner! See the test results HERE. Spysweeper provides the best protection of the seven anti-spyware programs tested! Great detection and removal rates with a small real-time protection memory footprint. This is the one you want! SpySweeper includes the ASK toolbar. Be sure to uncheck this option during installation. Free 14 day trial.
CounterSpy - Runner-up in my Anti-Spyware test. Not only does CounterSpy scan and remove spyware, it also uses real time protection. Real-time protection prevents spyware infection. Free 15 day trial. Winner of Computer Shopper Magazine's Best Buy Award!
Antivirus and Firewall Software
ESET Smart Security - New from the maker's of NOD32. Antivirus, Antispyware, Antispam, and Firewall all wrapped into one effective, swift, and low resource package. It is what I use to protect each of my computers!
Kaspersky Antivirus - Kaspersky is my second choice for antivirus software. A good program that is very close in performance to NOD32. Free trial.
Online Armor Firewall - You shouldn't be on the internet without a software firewall that offers inbound and outbound protection. Online Armor is the Best of the Best. Online Armor uses an interface that is easier to navigate than most other firewalls and the protection level can't be beat! Online Armor is available in both a free and reasonably priced paid version, which offers even more protection!
Audio and Video Software
Acoustica Audio Converter Pro - This program converts audio formats and bitrates. Perfect for those with portable audio players or large music collections. 30 day trial.
Adobe Premier Elements - Elements is the consumer version of Adobe Premiere. It costs 1/6th the price, but is very capable of making videos that will impress everyone.
DVDFab is my favorite DVD software. I tried over 30 different programs before settling on DVDFab. It offers every function of the other programs and more! Copy, burn, shrink, convert for mobile devices, or convert for streaming. Almost all of the other programs I've tried did not function as advertised, were extremely slow, or did not have features that worked as advertised. DVDFab works, and works as advertised! It's easy to use, has a pleasant user interface, and it updated often.
Computer Hardware
Crucial Memory - Memory (RAM) is the upgrade that gives any computer the best bang for the buck. If you want to speed things up with more memory, why not purchase it from the leading source of quality RAM memory. Great selection, good prices, excellent support, and a lifetime warranty! A real winner!
CyberGuys - The place to get those hard to find cables and accessories for your computer!
HP Computers
- My current pick for new laptops and desktops. In the current market I don't think you can beat HP's combination of price and performance. Their laptop line is very cost effective and the design is absolutely beautiful!
Newegg - Newegg.com is known for great service and awesome pricing on computers, upgrades, and electronics. If you're looking for computers, computer parts, or electronics you owe it to yourself to start here! Great Products. Great Prices. Great Customer Service!
Computer Maintenance Software
Diskeeper 2008 - My current favorite defrag program. As files are written and erased from the hard drive they begin to leave "spaces" behind. When the drive is written to again files are broken up to fill in these spaces. This causes the drive to go to several different locations to read an entire file, which slows performance greatly. Diskeeper has several advanced features such as; automatic defrag, scheduled defrag, and the ability to defrag the MFT (Master File Table) and paging file. 30 day trial.
Registry Mechanic - A very thorough and efficient registry cleaner and defragmenter. A definite must to maintain peak performance and stabile operation. 30 day trial.
Computer Utility Software
Acronis True Image 11 - Do you value the data on your computer? Do you value your time? How much time will you spend recovering data and returning your computer to its original state after a hardware failure or software glitch? True Image is my #1 choice in backup tools. Whether you choose file or image based backups (you should use both!) True Image will perform better than any other application I've used. Disk images created with True Image are generally 10-20% smaller than those from comparable programs. If your time and files are as important to you as mine are to me this is a must have.
Acronis Disk Director - My favorite tool to partition, format, and resize hard drives.
Roboform - This program is the next best thing since sliced bread in my book! This program integrates into Internet Explorer and firefox. It generates very secure passwords at the click of a button. How do I remember these complex passwords? Roboform allows you to save passwords and personal data in an encrypted format. A master password (yes only one password to remember!) allows access. Roboform in IE and FireFox works like a super powered bookmark. You click the site you want to go to and Roboform opens the site, enters your username and password for the site (if required) and as if by magic clicks the submit button. If you shop online Roboform can enter your personal information and credit card information, which is also stored in a secure encrypted file, in one click. A real time saver with great security thrown in to boot! 30 day trial.
WinRar - What is commonly called a zip utility, similar to the more widely known WinZip. WinRar is faster and works with more formats for about 1/2 the price of WinZip. 30 day trial.
Desktop Utility Software
LogonStudio - Change the screen that appears when you boot Windows (the one with the moving bar graph). Hundreds of free skins available online. It's free.
Cursor XP Plus - Change the cursors on your computer. Hundreds of cursor packs are available online for free.
Icon Packager - Change the icons on your computer. Icon Packager puts you in control to change every icon with the click of a button. Tired of the plain icons built into Windows? There are hundreds of Icon Packs available online for free, which will add a truly personal feel to your computer.
WindowBlinds 6 - This is the icing on the proverbial cake. WindowBlinds changes the look and feel of Windows. By changing the appearance of the task bar, start menu, and any other window or program you open. It adds transparency, shadows, alpha blending, and animations. Hundreds of themes are available online for free.
Internet and Email
1&1 hosting - If you want to start your own website, blog, photo gallery, or have a personalized email address then 1&1 is for you. 1&1 can not be beat for reliability, features, support, and price. 90 day guarantee.
Google Gmail - The best internet based email (webmail) available. Each mailbox has a 6.5GB limit. The interface is superb, and the spam filter is top notch. You will never need to delete an email again! It has a great search function and a feature called thread view, which makes finding emails easy. A webmail account offers several advantages including not being required to change your email address if you change service providers. Gmail requires an invitation from a current member. If you are interested shoot me an email and I'll send you an invite.
Microsoft Outlook 2007 - Outlook is the current email client of choice for corporate America. I get well over 200 emails a day. Outlook has a few features I really need such as a plug in for automatic backups, office sounds which offers me some audible feedback, and the ability to change headers. I've used Mozilla Thunderbird and liked it a lot. With the amount of mail I go through I really need the features of Outlook. If you aren't a heavy user, or don't need the features I do then Thunderbird is a great alternative.
- An amazing, free, web browser. If you aren't using it you should be! Highly customizable through addins called extensions. There are thousands of extensions which can allow FireFox to do just about anything you can imagine. More importantly, Firefox is not subject to ActiveX, which is a large part of Internet Explorer, AOL, and MSN. No ActiveX means much less chance of getting spyware! Firefox also conforms to web standards more closely than Internet Explorer, which means you will see what the authors intended, not Microsoft.
Mozilla Thunderbird - A great free email client, from the same folks that brought us FireFox. Easy to use and highly customizable through extensions.
Photo and Picture Software
Adobe Photoshop Elements - Photoshop Elements is a consumer version of Adobe Photoshop. If you are serious about digital photos you will find Photoshop Elements a great program to have at your disposal. Elements provides all the functionality most will need at 1/6th the price.
Picasa - A great (FREE) way to organize, edit, and share your digital photos.
Comment on Dave's recommended software!
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#7- Google exploit?
By David S. Hartsock
Herbert sent me an email this week which referred an article by Exploit Prevention Labs. The article describes how Google Adwords ads were being used to infect users computers. This was not widespread and did not affect all Google ads.
When searching Google you may notice "Sponsored Links" at the top and right side of some search results. These are actually ads that an advertiser has paid to appear there. I've used Google's Adwords myself to try to generate additional visitors to my site.
The article explains that someone associated with smarttrack.org had purchased ads for several popular search terms. When anyone would click on those ads they were taken to the smarttrack.org website, where an exploit tries to install a backdoor and keylogger. You are then seamlessly redirected to the site you originally intended to visit. The article goes on to explain that Google does not show the URL of a highlighted link in the ads.
Regular Google search result. Notice the URL at the bottom
Google ad result. Notice the lack of URL display when hovering?
The article seems to blame Google for this activity. In actuality Google's name may have been invoked as an attention grabber, but this really isn't Google's fault. This method could be used on any website or link, whether typed into the address bar of your browser manually, or following a link from a website.
A redirect is "web speak" for the ability of a webmaster to direct you to a page that is different from what you typed or clicked. It's used commonly and without malice on many website for valid reasons. A quick example would be I have a page named clikme.html. This page is very popular. Several months later I realize that the name is mis-spelled. I decide to correct the error, but realize that many people may have bookmarked the page. If I correct the name to clickme.html those people would get an error. If the page has been indexed by a search engine anyone trying to find it will also get an error. By using a redirect I can instruct your browser to go to the corrected name even if you type the old, incorrect one. There are other uses, but this is an example.
In theory if I owned example.com I could redirect any visitor to myexample.com and try to infect their computer. Once I was done I could redirect them back to the original site and they wouldn't even know. It's nothing new, and it's not Google's fault in any way.
So what can we do to prevent being infected? First and foremost keep your computer updated! An updated computer is less likely to be infected. Use an effective Anti-virus program such as NOD32 or Kaspersky. Use an effective Anti-spyware program such as SpySweeper, CounterSpy, or Spyware Doctor. Use a link/page ranking program such as Site Advisor, TrendProtect, or WOT for Firefox.
Nothing can guarantee you won't become infected. It's not humanly possible, but following the advice in the previous paragraph will go a long way towards keeping you safe!
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#8- The lighter side
After spending countless hours surfing the web in search of various funny or interesting things to share with you here are a few of my finds to lighten your day! I go through a lot to please my readers!
Scuba Cat - not just for humans anymore! Thanks to my wife!
The ultimate fridge! No more leaving your seat during the game! Thanks Herbert!
Discover Hackistan - a tongue in cheek look at internet security.
Galaxiga - Do you miss Space Invaders? I do. Free downloadable game. Thanks to Clif at FreewareWiki for the find!
Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!
#9- A few websites you may find useful
Ask Leo - Leo Notenboom website. Leo publishes a newsletter and answers many questions.
AuditMyPC - Jim's site is a great place with lots of security tests and tools. Check it out.
Secunia - This site is a wealth of information about recent security issues with Windows and other software. Their Software Inspector is a great free tool. We often check for Windows updates, but how often do we check the other software on our computer? Secunia makes it cheap and easy!
If you would like to subscribe to future newsletters, or change your current subscription please do so by visiting www.davescomputertips.com/subscribe.php.