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#1- News, News, News

In This Issue...

#2 - One Year Ago...

#3 - Reader Suggestions and Comments - What do the readers want?

#4 - Special Prizes for Special People - Some free software for a few lucky readers and a special gift from Carol!

#5 - Using Styles and Templates to Manage Formatting - Carol tells us how to do it in Word and OpenOffice Writer.

#6 - My Recommended Software - Need software? Check this list first!

#7 - Useful Freeware - Useful programs that you may find useful. Did I mention they're free!

#8 - Useful web sites - Websites I've visited lately that you may find useful.

#9 - The Lighter Side - Some humor to lighten your load!

Show your support for Daves Computer Tips

Daves Computer Tips is completely free for you to use, but operating the site isn't. I have monthly fees for hosting, bandwidth, and email service. I'm definitely not making a living from this site. If you would like to help cover these expenses you may do so by donating to Daves Computer Tips. Donation is easy and any amount is appreciated. Click the button on the right and donate using your credit card with PayPal.

Here is where I beg!

Please tell a friend, relative, coworker, or complete stranger about my site and newsletter. Use any means necessary to spread the word about Daves Computer Tips. Remember "word of mouth" is the best advertising!

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, OpenOffice questions, or suggestions for future Office articles shoot her an email at carol @ carolscorneroffice.com.

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#2 - One Year Ago...

By David Hartsock

WOW. Time flies! One year ago today the first issue of Daves Computer Tips Newsletter was sent to 30 people. Today's issue goes out to over 1700! Of course that doesn't count those notified by RSS feed or who find Daves Computer Tips by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask.com.

Those figures amaze me! I'm not a writer. I still have nightmares about writing papers in middle school. I'm not an expert, per se, but a guy who knows a little about computers and love technology. I remember the excitement when I had 100 readers! 200, 400, 500, 800, 1000, 1500, they just kept coming and each milestone still brings a smile to my face.

I'm not even a decent web designer (grin), although I've tried to improve the look and function of the website to the best of my abilities. You can see the logos I've used over the last 12 months. Hopefully the current logo will be around for a while, unless you know a graphic designer that would like to make a better one.

first header

second header third header fourth header today's header

Some of the other improvements that you may have noticed include:

I'll continue to improve the site and newsletter as time and technology permit, which leads to Item #3 below...

Please take a moment and comment on this article in the box below!

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#3 - Reader Suggestions and Comments

By David Hartsock

I received nearly 600 replies to last weeks email. I would like to discuss some of the answers and suggestions, as well as explain why I do some things. I really feel that you, as a reader, share some ownership in this project. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to do this. I also want you to know I'll give you honest and straight answers. Let's look into some of the questions I asked and then some suggestions/requests from readers.

Which Country are you from?

Not surprisingly most readers are from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. The surprise for me were responses from Countries such as Cuba, Belgium, South Africa, Egypt, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Syria. One reader is actually a full time RV traveler who travels the United States in a recreational vehicle and connects to the internet with satellite broadband.

This brings up a very valid comment received from several readers who reminded me that readers are from all over the world. Sometimes I forget that important fact and occasionally include items or references that are United States specific. I promise that these oversights are not on purpose and I'll try to be more thoughtful to the needs of readers outside the United States.

Comments

After each article is a link or box that allows you to add your thoughts and comments to share with others. I envisioned this as an excellent way for readers to share information with other readers and myself. To be honest, I've been rather disappointed in the participation levels. I've often wondered if the articles were not written well, or confusing because of this. Over 90% of those who responded said they like the ability to comment, so I've made a change.

I've removed the comments link, which took you away from the newsletter page, and added it right into the newsletter. To comment all you have to do is enter your name, email (not shown to readers), web address (if you have one), and the comment. Clicking the Publish button will add your comment. You'll be able to read the comments of others right after the article. There is a check box right above the Publish button you can check to receive an email when another readers adds a reply to your comment. It's actually quite slick. Hopefully you will be more inclined to comment and add to the newsletter!

I've also toyed with the idea of adding a forum, which would let users ask/answer questions as well as learn more about computers and technology. It takes a large number of users to sustain a forum and I don't think I have enough readers at this time. Hopefully this will change in the future, as I think this would be a great tool for everyone!

Humor

Readers were about 50/50 for and against the The Lighter Side. Other comments were "lame" and "off color". I think it's important to take a moment and have a good laugh every now and then. The Lighter Side will stick around. If you aren't interested please just scroll by it. I'm also aware that comedy "tastes" vary widely among people. If something is "off color" I try to indicate this by adding a warning. I never intend to offend, just entertain.

More Vista/Less Vista

I'll admit the newsletter has been full of Vista lately. It's to be expected. It's new and provides me with new things to learn and explore. In reality XP has been out for 6yrs and it's been talked about in depth all over the internet. About the only new content I can provide for XP is information about vulnerabilities and updates. I don't want to lose readers who are using Windows 98, 2000, or XP and I definitely don't want them to feel abandoned (see the next item - Q&A)! If you aren't currently using Vista chances are you will either at work or on your next PC. Take the opportunity to learn about it before you have to use it. Remember, you may the the "Go To" computer person for someone else. If you know a little about Vista you will know where to start when they ask for help.

Q&A

It was suggested that a Q&A section be added. I think that's a great idea! Beginning in the next issue I will answer user questions. This will be a great way for Windows 98, 2000, XP, and Vista users to get questions answered and problems solved and others to learn. One reader suggested the title "Problems in Paradise", which I think is great! Obviously I can't answer each email, but if you have a problem please take a moment to send me an email with as much info as possible. I don't know everything, but I will try to find the answer for you if I don't. This would also be a great place to share your tips and tricks with other readers. Click this link to send your question - dave @ davescomputertips.com

Freeware

Many readers requested a freeware section. I think this is another great idea! Each issue I'll try to find a couple of freeware programs I think will be useful to readers. I won't have the time to actually try each one, but this is a great opportunity for you to leave a comment about a program! If you have a freeware program that you use and it hasn't been mentioned just send me an email.

My Recommended Software

Again, here is another question that brought a 50/50 response. Because newsletters are often found by those searching for answers on Google I think this is important. I can try to decrease the line spacing to make the section smaller and appreciate the understanding of those who think it's a little overboard.

Several readers wondered why I don't update the list more often. The answer is simple. These are the programs I have researched, use, and found to be the best. Otherwise I will not recommend them. Until I find a program or service that is better I can not update the list. To do so would be dishonest and untruthful to my readers. A case in point is my recent change in recommended computers from Dell to HP. I researched my purchase, I have used both, and I believe HP has the edge at the moment. As a result I changed my recommendation.

Useful Web Sites

Quite a few readers asked for more useful web sites. I don't get the chance to wander around the internet as much as I would like. I don't list site for the sake of having something in that section. I only put a site there if I think it has some value for my readers. This is another GREAT opportunity for the use of the comments feature. See a site you like? You can add a comment and tell other readers about it.

Guest Writers/Linux/MAC

Can you believe someone wrote asking for MAC articles (I'm joking)? Actually I have no experience with either Linux or the Mac OS. I haven't had the need to use either to any extent. I would love to be able to include Linux content. I think it's a great alternative for many, including those who have Windows 98 and can't afford an upgrade or new computer.

I have had a few guest writers in the past, and thought it added some spice to the newsletter. What I would really like is someone knowledgeable who would enjoy writing a few articles a month, and be willing to accept the commitment, so I could include more content.

If any reader has the ability and knowledge about Linux or PCs and would like to write I would love to hear from you!

Advertising

Several readers wrote about advertising. This newsletter is free to you, but not me. I pay the hosting fees and email fees out of my pocket. This doesn't even take into account the personal time that anyone with an active website devotes to updating and improving their site. Basically the advertising helps to cover the costs associated with the site. When ads are clicked or software purchased a very small percentage goes into the sites fund. That's how advertising works. I try very hard to make the advertising unobtrusive and minimal. If you spend any amount of time surfing the web I think you will notice that MANY other sites include much more advertising than the three small ads included in each issue of this newsletter. Most have guady ads placed everywhere, and in my opinion many are placed to disrupt your enjoyment of the content. You won't find that here!

I'm not a big operation. It's only me (and a lot of help from Carol). I don't have an advertising budget, which is why I ask that you recommend my newsletter to your friends. If I had to pay to get the word out I would be broke. Because of this I "beg" for you to tell a friend about my site and newsletter. The begging part is meant in a humorous way and I hope you take it with a sense of humor.

I'm not in this to make a living. If I broke the income of this site down into an hourly wage it would be between .30 and .50 cents an hour. Dont' get me wrong, my wife says if everyone donated $1000 each I could retire and buy an island in a warmer climate (grin). Obviously that won't happen, and I don't expect it to.

Site Search

A few readers asked about adding a search function to the site. I've looked into implementing this several times. There are several options including Google, who have code you can add to a website that will search the site and provide results without taking the user away from the original site. The Google option requires the google logo be displayed on the pages and is hosted on Google's servers. I don't like the idea of putting complete trust in Google. If they go down or decide not to offer that feature I would be stuck with a system that doesn't work. When I find a system that I can implement myself and have full responsibility for I will put it on the site. I'm trying to provide the best experience for you.

General Newsletter Suggestions

Many people asked why I don't send the newsletter in the actual email. There are several reasons:

Others wrote asking for weekly issues. I'm open to that idea, but I don't think I can do it without the help of a guest writer or two. Hopefully as the newsletter grows we'll see more of that and grow into a weekly publication.

General

I was really surprised at the number of respondents who indicated they were senior citizens or retired. It's great to see them express an interest in technology! Many of those asked for some basic articles and I think that's great. They need all the encouragement they can get, so I'll try to include some articles on basic usage in the future.

Conclusion

I wrote the above to explain, honestly, why I've chosen to do things in a particular way. I've put a lot of thought into every aspect of the site and newsletter, but I don't know everything (this is open to debate!). I'll make as many changes based on the recommendations as I can.

I truly appreciate each subscriber. Without you I wouldn't have to opportunity to do this. I thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day every few weeks to read what I write. I thank you for your comments and suggestions. I hope we can have this discussion again next year and look back on the past as well as toward the future!

Please take a moment and comment on this article in the box below!

Click Here to recommend this newsletter to a friend!

#4 - Special Prizes for Special People

By David Hartsock

Did you read the notification email closely? If you didn't you've missed a very special free gift from Carol. In celebration of the first anniversary of Daves Computer Tips Carol is giving, yes GIVING, each subscriber a free, yes FREE, copy of her latest book, "Microsoft Office Tips and Tricks". This offer is only valid today (August 16th) and the link (in your email) will no longer work after today! Be sure to drop by her site and thank her!

I have contacted several of the software companies I recommend and they graciously donated prizes for a random drawing. Donated software includes Kaspersky Internet Security, CounterSpy, Acronis True Image, Acronis Disk Director, and WinRar.

If I've notified you that you have won please respond quickly. If I don't receive a response by Sunday evening I'll have to award the prize to another subscriber!

A very special Thank you to Kaspersky Lab, Sunbelt Software, Acronis, and RarLabs!

Please take a moment and comment on this article in the box below!

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#5 - Using Styles and Templates

by Carol A. Bratt

First, I would like to thank all of Dave's subscribers who responded to his recent survey for all of the favorable comments about my articles. I will do my best to cover a broad spectrum including basic, intermediate and advanced topics. As always, if you have a particular problem or question, please feel free to send me an e-mail at carol @ carolscorneroffice.com. I will do my best to resolve your issue and I may even create an article about it! Thanks again for your continuing support.

Signature

Using Styles and Templates to Manage Formatting in MS Word

Formatting a document in MS Word can be confusing at times. Word allows you to apply multiple formatting settings at one time by employing Styles. A style consists of character and formatting settings under one name. For instance, you can create a style called Newsletter text that is left aligned with six points after each paragraph, Veranda font, 12 point with kerning. Thereafter, every time you use that style, your text is going to exhibit those very same attributes. It is a fast and easy way to do your formatting on the fly.

You should be able to just key in text without worrying about formatting until your document is finished and then you can simply apply styles. For instance, say you work in a law office and you have to create a pleading. You key in all of your text and when you are finished, You simply highlight your paragraphs and apply the body text style and then your text that should be a block quote so you select that text and apply the block quote style. I think you get the idea. Sounds easy doesn't it? That's because it is!

To work with Styles, click the Styles and Formatting button on the Formatting toolbar to show or hide this Task Pane.

Style button

Style Task Pane

Styles are stored in Templates. When you create a new document, you must base it on a template. You can use the default document template, which is Normal.dot or one of the other prototypes that are installed with MS Word or you can use a custom template that you have created and saved. There is a template behind just about every style.

The Normal document template includes many predefined styles, including Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3, the Normal paragraph style, and many other styles used for formatting tables of contents, footnotes, bulleted and numbered lists, etc.

There are paragraph styles and character styles.

Paragraph styles control all the characteristics of a paragraph. Settings that are part of a paragraph style include centering, spacing, widows/orphans and other settings that appear when you choose Format | Paragraph. Paragraph styles also include bullets and numbering, borders and shading, tab stops, and the language Word uses for proofing tasks such as spell checking and grammar.

Character styles are similar except they carry only character formatting. That includes the font, font size, style and color, super/subscript, underscore and other attributes that you can select when you use Format | Font. Character styles can also define borders and shading and proofing settings.

To apply styles manually, follow the steps below:

  1. Click once inside a paragraph whose style you would like to change. You may also select multiple paragraphs.
  2. Select the paragraph style from the Styles and Formatting task pane or from the drop down Style list on the Formatting toolbar.

To apply a character style, follow these steps:

  1. Select the characters whose style you would like to change.
  2. Choose the character style from the Styles and Formatting task pane.

Once you have created your own custom styles, you can modify them very easily should the occasion arise.

I can speak for many secretaries when I tell you that signature block styles save tons of time and frustration! Or say you have a complex table set up. You don't want to have to go through all of that every time you need it do you? Of course not! Save it as a style!

Word ships with tons of templates and hundreds more are available for download from Microsoft's Online Web site.

You can customize any of the templates that you expect to use more than once, for instance Word's Professional Fax template. You can make it reflect your tastes - not Microsoft's.

To use one of the templates, follow the steps below:

  1. Click on File | New.
  2. This opens the Task Pane on the right.
  3. Under Templates, select On my computer.

So now that you have this template open, you can modify and customize it so that every time you open it now, it will be exactly the way you want it. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Make any changes you like.
  2. Apply Styles and Formatting.

After you have finished customizing your document:

  1. Select File | Save As.
  2. In the Save as Type box, select Document Template.
  3. Give the template a name that is intuitive to you.
  4. Click the Save button.

To attach a new template to a document and update the document's styles, follow the steps below:

  1. Click on Tools | Templates and Add-Ins.
  2. Click the Attach button.
  3. Navigate to the template that you want to attach to the document.
  4. Click Open.
  5. Select the Automatically Update Document Styles check box.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Save, close and then re-open your document.

NOTE: If the document has any styles defined inside it, save a copy of the document first. The process above can completely override styles in the document and you cannot bring them back!

This topic is voluminous and so I will stop here and take up this theme again in another article!

Now the Same Operation in OpenOffice

OpenOffice Writer has five types of styles:

  1. Paragraph styles that affect an entire paragraph;
  2. Character styles that affect a block of text inside of a paragraph;
  3. Page styles that affect page formatting;
  4. Frame styles that affect frames and graphics; and
  5. List styles that affect numbered and bulleted lists.

We will talk about the first three in this article, which are the most widely used. I will tackle the other two in a future article.

You access these first three styles through a floating dialog box that is called curiously enough - Styles and Formatting! Again, you see the similarity between MS Word and OpenOffice Writer. The Styles and Formatting dialog box can be accessed by:

You can drag the floating dialog box around your screen or you can dock it to the left or right side of the screen.

Style & Formatting Dialog Box

Another way to access the Styles and Formatting dialog box is that little button that is very much like the one found in MS Word.

oo Style Button

Just as in MS Word, to assign a style, you can select your text and then click the drop-down arrow in the Apply Style menu on your toolbar. The Apply Style menu lists the paragraph styles that are currently in use in the document. You can select styles from this menu, just like with the Styles and Formatting dialog box. Try it out - key in some text and select the Heading 1 style from the Apply Styles list. Pretty simple isn't it?

You can modify paragraph styles to suit your own needs, just as I showed you in MS Word above. You can simply right-click on the style that you would like to customize and select Modify.

oo Modify Style

On the Styles and Formatting dialog box, shown above, you can make changes to suit your needs.

Some styles are linked together in OpenOffice Writer. This means that a change in one style affects every style inked to it. A good example of this would be that every Heading style is linked with a style called Heading. You can see the relationship in the drawing below.

Link Illustration

Suppose you wanted to change the font of not only Heading 1 or Heading 2, but all headings? The easiest way to accomplish that is to take advantage of the linking:

  1. Open the Styles and Formatting window and select Heading.
  2. Open the Paragraph Style dialog box for the Heading style.
  3. Right-click and select Modify.
  4. Select the Font tab.
  5. Select the font you desire.
  6. Click OK.

Now, the fonts of all the heading styles have been changed in one single operation.

As in MS Word, you can create customized styles of your own to suit your needs.

Click the Styles and Formatting button or press F11.

Click the Paragraph Styles menu.

Right-click Default.

Choose New.

New Style

This opens the Paragraph Style dialog box with the Organizer tab selected. To create a custom style, you have to fill in the top three entries.

Type a Name for your style.

The Next style is the default style that follows the new style.

Linked with is where you decide which style you want yours to be linked with, then any change in that style will affect affect your new style.

oo Orangizer

The next step is to configure the alignment and font properties of your custom style.

See how easy it is to create your own custom style in OpenOffice Writer?

As in MS Word, this is a large area to cover and so I will cover more on these aspects of both applications in a future article.

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

Please take a moment and comment on this article in the box below!

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#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.

Do you have a comment about this software? Use box below!

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#7 - Useful Freeware

VistaMizer 1.2.1 - A Windows XP skin which modifies your Windows XP computer and gives it a new Vista like appearance. (XP)

CCleaner - A free system and registry cleaner. (XP/Vista)
I tried this program about 2 years ago and didn't have good luck. It hosed my system (I had a backup of course). When I started using Vista I decided to check it out again. Man was I surprised! It works great. It appears the author is very involved and as a result the program is updated often. It not only cleans Windows, but many other programs. Check it out.

AutoRuns - A great program by Mark Russinovich that checks all of the places that programs can hide auto-start settings. (98/ME/2000/XP/Vista)

Revo Uninstaller - Revo will uninstall programs by using the programs uninstall string. If the installation is broken Revo does what an experience user would do. Revo searches for left over files, folders, and registry entries and deletes them.

Did you find these programs useful? Take a moment and comment in the box below!

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#8 - Useful websites

Software Tips Palace - Software Tech, News, and Tips.

Get PC Tips - Tips, tricks and tweaks for your PC. This site is in it's infancy, but has a lot of promise!

The Hotfix Share - This site has direct downloads for Microsoft Hotfixes broken down by product and Knowledge Base article number.

Dave's Computer Service - (no it's not me) If your in the Chicago/Buffalo Grove area and need computer service give Dave a call.

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#9 - The Lighter Side

I spend countless hours searching the internet to bring a little laughter to my readers!

Learn to spin a pen - Be ahead of the curve. This is sure to be the next national past time.

Lego Millenium Falcon - Very cool video. I wish it were this easy and entertaining to build!

The first cell phone ad - The year - 1989. The product - a football sized box of electronics!

Perpetual Motion - It's true! A never ending source of energy!

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