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From The Mail Bag #54

October 20, 2003

Q: I enjoyed your article about PCExpo 2003. Are there any tech shows coming to Rochester in the near future? (BT, e-mail).

A: Although major shows such as PC Expo, E3 and the like do not come to Rochester, several other shows do. Here are two upcoming Rochester shows: The Rochester Business Journal is sponsoring a Busines 2 Business Tech Expo at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center October 29-30, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Register free at their Web site www.rbj-b2btechexpo.com. The show features area businesses showing their products and services.

The Marketpro Computer Show & Sales makes monthly visits to Monroe County Fairgrounds and Dome Center. Shows are scheduled for Nov. 23, Dec. 28, Jan. 25, and Feb. 22. For details visit their Web site at www.marketpro.com. Admission is $7.00. This show is like a traveling computer flea market, with individual businesses showing and selling their computer hardware and software. Shop carefully, not just for price but for support after the sale.

Q: I have an old Compaq Presario 4160. It will go into sleep mode but when it wakes up, the screen is full of garbage. What can I do? (HG, phone)

A: Make sure there are no programs running when you let the computer go into sleep mode. Even TSR (terminate and stay resident) programs may cause this behavior (TSR programs load when you boot your computer and keep a portion resident in memory; these programs stay active in the background to do specific tasks such as virus detection). Updating the display driver might help, but since specific updates are no longer available on the www.compaq.com Web site, it might work to do a system restore using the original restore disks that came with the computer. You might also try Compaq Tech Support at (800) 652-6672 for help.

Q: A friend sent me a cute picture of my niece via the Internet. How do I print the picture? (W.J., e-mail)

A: The picture you see on the screen has been sent over the Internet as an encoded file. Your browser/e-mail reader has decoded it automatically for screen display. The easiest way to print the picture is to left click on the photo (nothing will seem to happen), then from the File menu on the menu bar, select Print and print the picture.

If you want more control over how the picture prints, then you need to get the picture into your computer in a file format that can be printed, usually .jpg, .bmp or .tif. Since most of these pictures are sent as attachments, the easiest way is to right click on the picture or attachment icon (usually a paper clip) and choose Save As. Then give the picture a file name and select a folder to save it in (be sure to remember the folder and filename). Now you can open the picture file in a photo editing or photo viewing program or word processing program such as Word or WordPerfect, adjust the photo size, add text and print.

Q: I have the Reader Rabbit Toddler program that has several print projects that let me add my child’s picture to the project. How do I get a picture from my Kodak Picture CD into the program? (FV, phone)

A: The projects in Reader Rabbit use a "placekeeper" photo to show you where the picture will be in the completed piece. Right click on that photo and follow the directions to replace it with a picture from your CD.

Q: I have recently acquired an Epson scanner that is not compatible with my Windows ME operating system. I called Epson and they do not plan on writing an Me compatible driver for my model scanner. What can I do? (GF, e-mail)

A: Check with Microsoft to see if they have compatible WIA (Windows Image Acquisition) drivers for the Epson. The WIA drivers were designed to solve the compatibility problem of older hardware and the newer operating systems such as Me or XP. Not all hardware manufacturers supported this, however, and it sounds like Epson may not. If you can’t solve the problem, perhaps it’s time to upgrade your scanner and take advantage of the good values and enhanced features now available.

Q: Do I need an anti-virus program for my Mac? (NF, mail)

A: Yes. Viruses written to infect Mac computers are not as common as those for the PC, but they are equally as troublesome. Most viruses are written to infect Windows-based computers, presumably because there are more PC computers to infect than Mac computers, so the effects are potentially more widespread. However, your Mac computer can pass along a Windows virus even though it may not itself be affected; the reverse is also true--a Windows computer can pass along a Mac virus even though the Mac virus won’t affect the Windows computer. Norton AntiVirus 9.0 for Mac (Symantec, $69.99) is strongly recommended. (For our review of the Norton AntiVirus program send a SASE to us at the address below).

From The Mail Bag #53

August 25, 2003

Q: I have an eMachines computer and can’t seem to find Word or WordPerfect on it. Could you enlighten me? (AS, e-mail)

A: Pre-configured PC computers such as the eMachines come with software already loaded and ready to use. The types and publishers of the programs vary widely. For some programs, only the "lite" versions are included, with options to buy the full-featured version. You’ll have to read the original ads or information that came with the computer to determine just which programs were included and/or pre-loaded. Otherwise, click on Start and All Programs to see the list of programs on your computer. Word may be listed as Microsoft Word.

This may all be a confusing situation, but most pre-configured PC computers come with Windows as an operating system, a word processor, commonly Microsoft Works (which includes a database and spread sheet programs), Internet browser (commonly Microsoft Internet Explorer), personal finance programs such as Quicken or Microsoft Money and utility programs such as image editors. How you’ll be using your computer will determine whether these will suffice or whether you’ll need to purchase additional programs.

Q: The other day I couldn’t get incoming or outgoing e-mail, although my e-mail screen was up. It’s OK now, what happened? (AS, e-mail)

A: It’s very hard to tell. By e-mail screen we assume you mean your e-mail program, such as Outlook Express, was running OK. If your ISP (Internet service provider) is having computer problems with their servers, you may or may not get an error message when you try to receive or send e-mail. If you’re using a cable or DSL connection to the Internet and this happens, check to see if your cable or modem connection light is on. If you’re using a dial-up connection, recheck phone line wire and the like. We have to assume that your problem was related to your ISP, since it resolved itself.

Q: We’d like to set up Web cameras to see our new grandchild, who is out of town. We’d like the great grandmother who lives with us see them too. Our main computer, which uses a cable modem Internet connection, is upstairs and she can’t climb stairs. We thought of getting a laptop for her and connecting both via wire or wireless connections or even try Web-TV for her. Can you help us? (AW, e-mail)

A: First, WebTV actually uses your phone line to access the Internet for e-mail and browsing. The system uses your TV set as a modified monitor for viewing the e-mail and Web pages. It is slow and in some instances, you won't be able to see pictures attached to e-mails. Or if the system allows it, the quality of pictures will be limited to that of TV. So, for your described purposes, it doesn't seem like the best choice.

If you’re going to invest in a laptop computer and would like to keep it portable so great grandmother can use it from the bed, couch or at the kitchen table, then using wireless would allow her to send and receive e-mail, see pictures attached to e-mails and surf the Web at any of these locations. It also allows you to take advantage of the faster connection speed that cable provides (compared to phone dial-up connections). If portability isn't needed, then a wired network would be less expensive. Both wired or wireless setups should be fast enough for your stated uses. For the wireless system, you'll need a wireless cable modem adapter to connect to your cable modem. Make sure you get one that can also be hardwired to your stationary computer. Then you'll need a wireless network adapter card for the laptop. Set up the configurations and enjoy the new baby pictures.

Q: I am using Juno and sometimes have problems getting e-mail and often get disconnected from the Internet. Why is this? (FT, phone)

A: Juno provides several levels of Internet and e-mail service. The Juno Basic free service comes with several limitations. You have a limit of 10 hours/month usage time, there is a limit to the size and number of e-mails and attachments and from time to time they may not allow attachments at all. In addition, they may only hold e-mails for a limited, unspecified length of time. You’ll find much advertising and pop-ups to deal with, and your sign-up info will be shared with other merchants. Juno reserves the right to drop your connection at any time to suit their needs. So Juno’s Basic service is free, but it comes with many strings, some of which Juno seems to be tugging for you. Juno’s Platinum level of service does away with all the above restrictions, giving you unlimited Internet access, multiple e-mail addresses, junk mail filtering and no advertising banners. Both levels of service offer free on-line tech support and a per minute charge for live tech support. A proprietary add-on for their Platinum service speeds up your Internet connection.

From The Mail Bag #52

July 21, 2003

In a previous Mail Bag column, we had a question about printing file listings from a directory or folder located on a hard drive. A Bits‘n Bytes reader (FM, e-mail) suggested as an alternative a free utility program, Widget Print Directory 3.1, that does the printed listing easily and quickly and has several available options, such as the ability to print full path names with or without file creation dates, file size and file type. The program allows you to save a listing for future viewing or printing or export the list as a comma-delimited file. The program is available for download at: http://www.webattack.com/get/printdir.shtml

Q: Thanks for your interesting articles. Because of your recent review of the new Kodak Easy Share DX6340 digital camera and the companion Easy Share Printer Dock 6000, I bought both. I love the little printer and think the DX6340 is a fun camera. They are a perfect match for me, since I don’t have a computer. There are many features on the camera that I know I won’t use--so why don’t they leave out some features and reduce the price? (MM, letter)(Ed: if you want a copy of our review, send us a SASE to the address below).

A: Kodak, like most companies, is interested in customer response. We will forward your comments to them, and hope they will consider offering a simpler camera that would work with the Printer Dock 6000.

Q: I’m having a problem with eBay payments. How do I contact them? (LA, e-mail)

A: eBay provides a great deal of help and answers to questions on their site, but it is not always easy to find the answer that fits your need. One way to reach them is to go to the eBay site (http://www.ebay.com), and from the home page click the link for Site Map. The Site Map provides a wealth of links to various kinds of information and help. Alternatively, from the home page, click on the link for Help. From the initial Help screen, click on the link for Contact Us. Choose a Customer Support link, select from the choices, click Continue, and you’ll see options for keyword searching or for sending an e-mail to eBay or to Chat with an eBay representative using Instant Messaging.

Two independent sites also provide eBay contact information. Since these sites have not been recently updated, some of the contact information may not be valid, but they’re worth trying:

http://www.auctionguild.com/generic17.html

http://www.onlinebookselling.net/new_page_13.htm

Q: We would like to get high speed Internet access. What’s the difference between DSL and Road Runner? (SJ, e-mail)

A: DSL (digital subscriber line) uses existing phone lines to your home to provide Internet access. Frontier, a local provider, offers two levels of service: the fastest, up to 3 MBS, is available for about $49.99/mo; the stepped-down service, up to 250KBS, is available for about $29.99/mo. These speeds are only realized under ideal circumstances: good quality phone lines and a wire distance less than 5 miles from your telephone exchange node. Anything less will result in reduced connection speeds. There is no reduction in usage speed even if your neighbors have DSL, since each subscriber is assigned its own node in the system. You can use DSL Internet and your voice phone at the same time, but you’ll need to put filters on all your voice phones, faxes and dial-up modems if they are to work satisfactorily. Our personal experience with DSL was that, although our phone lines were theoretically tested as good and we were less than 5 miles from our exchange, we were never able to realize more than 300 KBS on the fastest grade service. DSL support was never able to remedy this or offer a satisfactory explanation.

Road Runner, the local cable modem Internet access service, uses your TV cable to carry the Internet signals. You can watch your favorite TV channel at the same time others use the service for the Internet. Speeds of up to 3 MBS can be obtained, but since you may share a connection node with your neighbors who have Road Runner, speeds will slow as their usage increases. And during peak usage times, typically early evening, service may be noticeably slow.

Both DSL and Road Runner are "always on" connections to the Internet and make your computer susceptible to hacker attacks and the like, so be sure you have both an anti-virus program and a firewall in place for your protection. Programs such as Norton’s Internet Security provide both.

Q: I tried to install a wheel mouse on my computer, and I have problems with the cursor disappearing or the mouse being unable to control the cursor. Is the new mouse not compatible with my computer? (AS, e-mail)

A: Yes, that’s possible. Check the System Requirements listed on the box or in the instructions for your new mouse and insure they fit your machine configuration. Contact the mouse manufacturer’s customer support via phone or the Web and get an updated driver for the mouse. Install the new driver. If that doesn’t work, try customer service again--it’s possible, though very unlikely, that you have a defective mouse, and then you’d need to see about warranty replacement.

From The Mail Bag #51

May 19, 2003

We’ve had several questions from readers about our recent review of the new Kodak EasyShare DX6340 digital camera and Kodak Printer Dock 6000 (if you missed this review send us a SASE at the Shopping Bag/Advertiser, address below, for a copy):

Q: A recent Consumer Reports recommends the Kodak CX4330 digital camera, what are the differences between that camera and the Kodak EasyShare DX6340 described in your column? (JS, e-mail)

A: In general, the CX series of Kodak digital cameras are consumer entry-level cameras designed to be less expensive and less complicated to use. The DX series are "deluxe," with more advanced engineering features and more user options. Comparing specific features, the CX4330 is not adaptable to the Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock 6000, but the DX6340 is. The DX6340 has a "fast" f2.2 4X zoom lens designed and made by the respected German lens maker, Schneider-Kreuznach. This insures maximum brightness and color saturation; the CX4330 has a slower Retinar f2.8 3X zoom lens.

The DX6340 features low light level focusing (without light or flash assist) and an ISO 400 top speed rating. The CX4330 has only a top ISO 200 speed rating. This allows the DX6340 to perform better in low light situations. Also, the DX6340 has a 20 foot rating for its flash, and the CX4330 an 11 foot rating. The user controls are conveniently grouped on the back of the DX6340, and various camera settings, such as white balance, ISO selection, metering and the like, which are available on the DX6340, are not user-selectable on the CX4330. The MSRP price difference is $30, with the DX6340 being more expensive. Our opinion is that both cameras will produce fine photos and please the average user. But the DX6340 does give you the extra control that many photographers appreciate, and the better lens gives an edge in final photo results as well.

Q: I want to be able to copy my digital pictures directly to CDs. Will the new Kodak Picture Software V3 let me do that? (R, phone message)

A: The currently available Kodak EasyShare Picture Software is version 2.1. Version 3 is scheduled for release in May, 2003, and will be available for free download from Kodak.com. We were told that this new version will, in additional to all the organization, editing and sharing functions, feature the ability to copy (burn) your picture (actually picture files) to a CD-R. We’ll report further on this when it’s available.

Q: I have several questions about the Kodak DX6340 digital camera. Your review makes it sound great but is it heavy? Can I take pictures fast? Do I need a card reader to download pictures to my computer? (CG, phone message)

A: The Kodak EasyShare DX6340 digital camera weighs 7.1 oz. without batteries. The camera boots up very quickly--faster than many other digital cameras--so it is ready to use much sooner after you turn it on. In addition, the camera writes very quickly to its internal memory, so you’re ready to take the next picture quickly as well. The camera can download pictures directly to your computer via a USB cable or from the Printer Dock 6000. Since the camera has 16MB of internal fixed memory, which will hold 20+ pictures (depending on the resolution you choose), you may never need the optional MMC/SD memory cards as long you keep downloading the pictures to your computer for storage and delete them from the camera’s memory.

Q: Under Windows, how do I print out a list of the files in a directory. I can see them listed on screen but there doesn’t seem to be any way to get a printout. (BM, e-mail)

A: There are a few work-arounds: 1) Get the directory you want on screen. Then press the "Print Screen" key. Nothing will appear to happen, but whatever you see on screen is copied as a graphic into the Windows clipboard. With your favorite word processor, paste (Ctrl-V or from the Menu Bar Edit>Paste). The display will show your directory list. Then print it from your word processor; 2) Use your favorite screen capture program (several are available on the Internet--we like SnagIt from www.techsmith.com--but there are many others). Display the directory on screen, capture it (as a graphic) and then print it from the capture program; 3) (for you leftover DOS fans) go to the DOS command prompt, navigate to the desired directory and try the old DOS command, dir>prn. This may not work for some USB printers, but if it does work, you’ll get a printout of the directory. If not, try dir>filename.txt. Nothing will seem to happen, but go back to Windows, and in the directory you wanted printed you’ll find filename.txt. Use your word processor to print it.

From The Mail Bag #50

March 10, 2003

Q: When I try to print out a Web page, I almost always lose an inch or so of text on the right margin. I’ve scrolled the page all the way to the right and I can see the text on the screen but it still won’t print. What’s happening? (RC, e-mail)

A: This usually has to do with page margins. To set wider page margins in both Internet Explorer and Netscape, choose File > Page setup and then each of the margins to .25 inch or less. That should help to print out more of the Web page.

Q: My computer keeps freezing up and shutting down. It has so much junk on it that I’ve been told to get a CD to do a system restore. What is this and where do I get one? (SS, e-mail)

A: Many computers that are sold packaged with pre-loaded programs more often than not don’t come with the original operating system disks, program disks and/or program manuals. This is why many companies such as IBM, H-P, GateWay and VARs (value added resellers or retailers) can offer such bargains on these packages. Some of the better companies and VARs will, however, provide both a system restore CD and a program restore CD with the package.

In the event that one of these computers has problems due to corrupt files, crashes or other issues aside from hardware failure, these restore disks can be used to restore the operating system and, when necessary, restore or repair the program files. These restores are usually done after a hard drive reformat in which you will lose all your data, so always be sure to back up your computer before you restore.

Unfortunately, some companies and VARs do not provide these CDs, so you must either buy the CDs from the company or VAR or bring or send your computer to them to restore. And if you were given or bought a used computer, the restore CDs, if there were any, may have been lost in the transfer. System restore CDs may be specific for a particular computer configuration so any old system restore CD may not work on your computer. You’ll need to contact the computer company or VAR to request the specific restore CDs. If your computer is older, restore CDs may no longer be available. An alternative may be to have a local computer repair shop do an upgrade on your computer. Certain combinations of upgrades will allow them to legally load a new operating system on your upgraded machine.

Q: You referred to genealogy programs in a recent column. It seems these program look back at your parents, grandparents and so on. Are there programs that let you chart your children, your grandchildren and so on? (DD, phone)

A: Our recent Bits ‘n Bytes column briefly reviewed three genealogy programs (for a copy of the column, send us a SASE at the Shopping Bag/Advertiser address listed below). The programs referred to, Family Tree Maker, Heritage Family Tree and Legacy all allow you to track family members both forward (descendants) and backward (ancestors) from any given individual or married couple. You can create a chart for either a screen view or a printout of these family structures in a tree fashion, either upright, inverted or in a bow-tie configuration, each showing ancestors on one side and descendants on the other. You can also attach photos and, for computer viewing, add multimedia content such as audio recordings or video.

Q: When I connect to the Internet with Internet Explorer, my mouse begins reacting slower and slower as my default home page loads. By the time it finishes loading, the mouse cursor won’t move at all. The computer has 48MB RAM and Windows 98. Any ideas? (DM, e-mail)

A: Interesting problem. Here are some troubleshooting ideas for you: The first thing we think of in the case of any unusual computer behavior is a virus. Scan your computer for viruses, using the "scan all files" option. Next, the default home page your browser loads when it opens may be at fault if it wants more memory than your machine has. At 48MB RAM, your computer is a little on the low side for Windows 98 for many applications. More memory may be needed for intensive graphics, Java programs, or other background Internet downloading. Try changing your browser’s default home page. In Internet Explorer go to Tools > Internet options > General tab and change the home page to something other than what’s specified. You could try, for instance, our home page, http://www.norma-tony.com, which contains few graphics and no Java elements. You could also add more memory, a very good idea in any event. Also, try the System File Checker, looking for damaged files. From Start > Run > enter SFC in the dialog box and then Run. Next check the Device Manager (right click My Computer > Properties > Device Manager tab and look for any red X’s, and check for duplicate entries, select Mouse then select Properties and check for conflicts. Next try reloading the mouse driver.

From The Mail Bag #49

January 13, 2003

Q: I keep hearing the term "burn a CD". What is that all about? (NL, phone)

A: "Burn a CD" is just a term for recording data on a CD. The term "burn" refers to the use of a laser and the heat energy it produces to actually burn a microscopic data pattern in the coating of a recordable CD. The device that does this recording and subsequent reading of the data is a CD-R (CD recordable, which records once and cannot be erased) or CD-RW (CD read/write which can be erased and reused) drive, often referred to as CD burners.

A CD burner can be an internal drive that’s installed in your computer or an external drive that is connected to your computer’s USB port. The data that is recorded (burned) can be document files, backup files, picture files, music files and others. Music can be recorded in a variety of formats, some of which will play on common audio CD players. Some programs make it possible to configure your computer so your CD-R and CD-RW disks/drives can act like a floppy drive, allowing you to drag and drop files to/from the drive or erase files; CDs produced in this configuration will play only on the computer on which they were recorded. Or the drives can be configured so that any computer can read, write or erase files on the CD.

Q: What is "Spamming?" (HJ, Gates)

A: Spamming (Internet slang) is the act of sending unsolicited e-mail to hundreds, thousands or even millions of e-mail addresses. Simply put: it’s junk e-mail. Spamming is, unfortunately, an increasingly common way to market get-rich-quick schemes, non-existent services, merchandise or pornography. A few years back, AOL (America Online) estimated that on some days, 30% of their customers’ e-mail may be unsolicited "junk." Lists of millions of e-mail addresses are bought and sold by spammers. These lists are culled from a variety of sources. Any time you submit your e-mail address for on-line merchandise ordering, information requests, product warranty cards and such, you are at risk of having your e-mail address added to a list somewhere. Most legitimate companies, however, including ISPs (Internet Service Providers), have strict privacy policies designed to safeguard your information to keep it out of the hands of spammers. Take time to read their Privacy Statements.

Spammers can also use computer programs that search public areas on the Internet to "harvest" lists of e-mail addresses from web pages, newsgroups, chat rooms, and other online destinations. Whenever they find the "@" sign--bingo! they’ve got another address.

Preventing junk mail is not easy. Most e-mail programs, such as Netscape and Outlook Express and most ISPs, provide filters to help discard such unwanted e-mail. These programs work by blocking messages containing keywords that might indicate junk mail, or by blocking e-mail from known spammer addresses. Unfortunately, these schemes may occasionally block wanted e-mail. Check the Help on your program or contact your ISP for further information.

Some precautions: Never respond to junk mail, and never click on the "to remove your name" option. Junk mailers lie. Rather than remove your name, they will add it to a verified e-mail address list. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is very concerned about junk mail and especially fraudulent claims found in many of these e-mails. If you have received e-mail you think may be fraudulent, such as one claiming to make you rich or remove your debt or offering to-good-to-be-true merchandise or schemes, forward the e-mail to the FTC at uce@ftc.gov.

Q: I read your column about computers and GPS (global positioning system) receivers. I’d like to use my laptop with a GPS device in my RV to have directions spoken to me in my travels. How do I do this? (JF, e-mail)

A: Assuming the daily duration of your driving will be longer than the life of the battery on your laptop, the most sensible option would be to power both your laptop and GPS receiver from your vehicle’s battery. Car power adapters that plug into your RV’s cigarette lighter are available for most laptops. Check with the manufacturer of your laptop or search the Internet for such adapters. One of the more convenient GPS receivers is Earthmate, from DeLorme. An optional USB cable connects it to your laptop for both data and power, saving the tangle of extra cables.

Our favorite software to use with this combo is Street Atlas USA, also from DeLorme, now in version 2003. This program can map more than a million miles of roads in the USA, and you can even add new roads that are automatically added to the searchable database. This is especially useful in the roads-less-traveled areas if that’s where your RVing takes you. Select your start, destination and in-between stops, and the program suggests a route, complete with map and directions. Once you’re on your way, the software notifies you "you have a left turn coming up in one mile," but you can also ask it "where am I?" to have the program say your location. The GPS keeps your location updated on the map with a "breadcrumb trail," if you like. There are many other nifty features too. Happy trails.

Q: When I receive pictures from friends in our AOL e-mail, all I see is "garbage." What can I do? (EM, e-mail)

A: Update to the new AOL version 8. The "garbage" you see is an encoded picture file. Until you update, check with AOL on-line help to get a free decoder program to decode your friends’ pictures.

From The Mail Bag #48

October 28, 2002

Q: What can we do with our old computer?

A: This question has been asked of us many times in the past, and the answer is that it is harder and harder to give away or even donate older computers, even though they work well. Many individuals or organizations do not want older computers because some programs will not run on older computers, and there are concerns of costs of repair or the ability to get them fixed if they need repair.

In addition to the suggestions we made in previous columns (for a copy of that column, send a sase to us at the address below), one of our readers (LBC, Pittsford) suggested another source for donating computers: Micrecycle (585-224-7014, www.micrecycle.org). They will accept donations of old computers and peripherals and, in some cases, qualifying businesses may be able to deduct the full purchase price of the donations. Micrecycle refurbishes the used computers and gives them to needy qualifying individuals or organizations in the community. See their website or call them for complete details.

Q: My printer has stopped responding--no noise, no cartridge movement, no printing. Any ideas why this might happen? (BAR, e-mail)

A: You didn’t say whether the printer was completely dead, i.e., whether the lack of noise, lights or action happens when it is plugged into an AC outlet or whether it just doesn’t respond to the computer. If it’s the former, be sure it’s plugged into a live AC outlet. If possible, try a substitute AC cord. If your printer uses a "brick" type power supply, check the output of the power supply with a voltmeter, if you have access to one. If your printer is getting power, check your user manual on how to perform a power-up self test, and then do it. This insures that the printer is capable of functioning at all. If everything is OK so far, then check the cable connecting the computer to the printer, and substitute a new or known good cable if available. Still OK? Then run Windows troubleshooting by selecting Start, Help, select index tab, and type in "troubleshooting." Select Troubleshooting, Printers and follow the dialog. If no help here, then uninstall the printer and its drivers and reinstall them.

If none of these work, then a call to the manufacturer’s technical support line might be in order.

Q: I have a Canon Starwriter word processor and want to get the information from its disks into my computer. How do I do that? (LS, e-mail)

A: Many of these types of dedicated word processors have an option for saving files in a PC format. Check the user manual. If there are no options for doing this, then print out the document from the dedicated word processor and scan and OCR (optical character recognition) it from your computer.

Q: I want to upgrade my computer from DOS to a new operating System (Windows) so I can access the Internet. I still need DOS and Basic because many of my programs are written in Basic. How can I do this? (FG, phone)

A: If you are going to upgrade your existing computer, first make sure it will run Windows. Many older computers that used DOS may not support Windows. If you are going to buy a new computer and still want to run your DOS and Basic programs, consider using a program such as System Commander (V-Comm) that allows you to choose which type of operating system (DOS, Windows, Linux, and so forth) you want to use each time you boot your computer. Under some circumstances you’ll even be able to change operating systems while the computer is running. Alternatively, just keep your old computer for running DOS and your Basic programs and use your new computer for accessing the Internet.

Q: When I start Windows 95, I get strange Windows protection errors. What’s going on? (MH, e-mail)

A: Windows may be trying to load programs that have corrupt files or bad startup commands. Try running the Windows 95 startup troubleshooter. From Start, Help, select the index tab and type in Windows 95. Select the Startup troubleshooter and follow the dialog. If errors occur while Windows is running, there may be corrupt files or two programs trying to use the same patch of memory at the same time. Try this trick to find the offending programs: use the Close Program dialogue box (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and select End Task on all the programs listed except Explorer and Systray. Then open the programs that seem to be causing problems and see if errors occur. Keep adding one program at a time until you get the errors. That last added program may be the offender. Check with the publisher for program updates or patches.

Q: Is Norma’s book Computers Made Really Easy for Beginners still available? (RD, phone)

A: Yes, send check or M.O. for $8.95 (shipping free, but include 8% NYS sales tax if ordering from New York state) to Lion Press, PO Box 92541, Rochester, NY 14692. Although the book was published several years ago, much of the information is still helpful in understanding computers and what you can use them to do.

From The Mail Bag #47

October 28, 2002

Q: What can we do with our old computer?

Q: My printer has stopped responding--no noise, no cartridge movement, no printing. Any ideas why this might happen? (BAR, e-mail)

If none of these work, then a call to the manufacturer’s technical support line might be in order.

Q: I have a Canon Starwriter word processor and want to get the information from its disks into my computer. How do I do that? (LS, e-mail)

Q: When I start Windows 95, I get strange Windows protection errors. What’s going on? (MH, e-mail)

Q: Is Norma’s book Computers Made Really Easy for Beginners still available? (RD, phone)

July 8, 2002

From The Mail Bag #46

Q: You recently referred to a map program from National Geographic. Where can I get that program? (FS, phone)

A: The program is National Geographic Maps: The Complete Collection, from Encore Software. Every foldout map published in National Geographic is included, and some of the 535 maps are rare and otherwise available only in the National Geographic archives. The maps are reproduced front and back, and you can zoom in or out for better detail. The program also includes a history of map making, map time lines and the story of how maps follow the course of history. We think this program is great for reference or as a gift. It’s available at CompUSA, Media Play, Best Buy or on-line from encoresoftware.com. Be aware that there are reports of this program not working well or at all with some configurations of Windows XT.

Q: When it comes to things like memory and hard drive space, how do I know how much to upgrade? I have a 20GB hard drive and 128MB RAM and I want involve myself in graphic design. (TM, e-mail)

A: Much depends on how you use your designs. If you create graphic designs for high quality print publishing, these images can result in very large file sizes, and photos can easily run 20-40+ MB in file size. For this type of work, a larger hard drive would be one upgrade consideration. Similarly, high quality images take lots of RAM. A rule of thumb for photo editing programs is to have 2-3 times as much RAM as the largest file size you'll be working on. Extra RAM is always a good investment in improving machine performance, so increasing the amount of RAM to the most allowed by your computer’s motherboard is recommended. If your publishing is for lower quality printing or strictly for Web/Internet use, your current configuration should be all right for a while. If your video display card works as is for your graphics use, don't touch it. If you get slow image redraw, display artifacts and the like, consider changing to a video display card designed for graphics. Also, consider a CD-ROM burner as a convenient, inexpensive way to archive your work.

Q: I have WordPerfect 7 and have lost my spell check, thesaurus and grammar checker. How do I get these back? (RW, phone)

A: First, if these features worked before, be sure that you haven’t accidently changed the Menu Bar version. Right click on a blank spot on the Menu Bar (the bar at the top of the screen with "File," "Edit’" "View" etc. on it) and make sure that WP Win 7 Menu is checked. If that’s correct, then go to Tools > Spell Checker and under options be sure that "auto start" is checked. If this is not the problem, then you may have to reinstall the features. Do this from the original installation disk, and choose "custom installation." Find these features in the installation menus, check them and run the installation.

Q: I want to save my Internet Explorer favorites. How do I do this? (WG, e-mail)

A: The directions are found under Help: Sharing Bookmarks and Favorites. To export favorites to another computer, while in the Internet Explorer program, click File > Import and Export. A Wizard will help you through the process. The exported favorites are saved as an HTML file, so either Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator can import them.

Q: I often create crossword and word puzzles and am looking for a program to help me construct them. (DF, e-mail)

A: Crosswords are very popular, and there are several programs available to help. They vary in cost and capabilities. Check out these:

Crossword Compiler V6 at www.crossword-puzzle-maker.com

Crossword Express V5.6 at www.crausword.com

Crossword Construction Kit V3.1a at www.crosswordkit.com

Crossword Weaver at www.crossweaver.com

Crosswords & more by Expert Software at software stores

Q: I have a Compaq computer with an instant Internet access button. I changed versions of AOL, but my Internet access button will only access my old version of AOL. How do I fix this? (MA, e-mail)

A: You’ll need to reprogram your Instant Access Button. Compaq says to first uninstall the Instant Access via Start > Settings > Control panel > Add/Remove programs. Then under Start > Compaq Support, select the option for reprogramming Instant Access Buttons and follow the Wizard. More detailed information is available on the Compaq web site, www.compaq.com.

Q: My HP672C printer has started printing half a page and stops with a "paper jam" message. It’ll restart and sometimes it prints OK, sometimes not. Any ideas? Also, is refilling printer cartridges OK? (GC, e-mail)

A: The problems you describe could be caused by a variety of mechanical and electrical/electronic problems. Easy, inexpensive things to do are to remove and reload the printer driver, carefully check inside your printer for dust, dirt, scraps of paper and lose screws, check your printer cable for loose connections and even try a new or borrowed cable, and contact HP tech support via their web site www.hp.com for additional help.

Printer manufacturers generally do not recommend refilling cartridges. They cite problems with non-OEM inks clogging nozzles and the like. when the color stops printing, be sure to try head cleaning before replacing cartridges.

From the mailbag #47

August 26, 2002

Q: My connection with my ISP (Internet Service Provider) seems very slow, sometimes taking up to 20-30 seconds to respond for each new Web page. My ISP says it’s because I’m using a Winmodem. What is a Winmodem, and is there anything I can do to speed up the connection? (T, phone message)

A: A Winmodem is designed to "borrow" some hardware and software resources from your PC and Windows. Think of a Winmodem as an incomplete modem. If your computer has massive resources (such as fast CPU and extra RAM), this may not be a problem. But Winmodems are known to perform poorly when you have less than ideal phone lines because these modems are more susceptible to line noise and such. Manufacturers opt to use Winmodems because they are cheaper to manufacture and therefore keep the costs of the computer down. A standard modem, on the other hand, is self-contained and has all the needed hardware and firmware to operate properly even with older computers and noisy phone lines.

To help solve your problem, start by making sure you have the latest driver and configuration file for your Winmodem. If that doesn’t help, call your phone company and have them check the quality of your phone line. If this still doesn’t help, uninstall your Winmodem and install a standard modem.

Q: I see ads on the Web for free MP3 music. What is MP3? (LL, Pittsford)

A: The "MP" is short for MPEG-1 (Moving Picture Expert Group); the "3" refers to audio layer 3, which is the audio part of a standard for audio/visual file storage. Layers 1,2 and 3 define increasing levels of audio quality and speed of uploading and downloading audio files. MP3 is a method of highly compressing and saving full-fidelity audio in a file on the hard drive of a computer, on a CD-R (CD recordable) or in an MP3 player and the like, with virtually no loss of fidelity (although some audiophiles might argue this point). The compression works, in part, by removing sound that’s extremely low in volume and nearly inaudible to the human ear. By using this method with other techniques, compression ratios of 12:1 can be achieved for MP3 sound. With these smaller file sizes, an entire audio CD will fit on a ZIP disk, eight to ten audio CDs will fit on a CD-R (recordable CD) and you can even play the files, with full fidelity, as they are downloaded from the Internet (streaming audio).

To play MP3 songs on your computer, you need MP3 player software. Software players are available from several Web sites as either freeware, shareware or as retail programs. MP3 can also be played by the newer versions of Windows Media player and Real player. You can also check out www.winamp.com for one of the other more popular players, WinAmp. Then surf several sites that offer free MP3 music, such as www.mp3.com, download your favorites and enjoy.

There’s more: with MP3 ripper and encoder programs, you can copy your own audio CDs in the MP3 format onto your hard drive and then record custom CDs. And more yet: you can download MP3 encoded music from your computer into the memory of tiny portable players and even some PDAs. The MP3 decoder is built in, so you can carry your music with you. This is all legal, as long as either the original music was copyright free and/or you abide by the copyright restrictions, or you own the original CD. You may use the MP3 music for yourself, but you cannot give or sell it to others.

Q: Where can I get the Sign Language program you talked about in a recent column? (AC, phone message)

A: The program to which you refer is Kids’ American Sign Language from Topics Entertainment (for anyone who would like a copy of our review, send a SASE to us at the address below and we’ll send a copy of our column). It is part of Topics Entertainment SNAP! Fun and Learning series of older but very good programs at bargain prices of $4.94. The topics-ent.com Web site doesn’t offer this program for sale, but they do list several retail stores (Best Buy, Staples, Target, Walmart) as well as on-line stores where it is available.

Q: Where can I find e-mail or standard mail addresses for my classmates? We are planning a class reunion and have lost track of some of them. (IF, phone message)

A: There are several search Web sites on the Internet that you can use to help you find people and e-mail addresses; many of these sites also list street addresses and phone numbers too, and some even have a map showing exactly where that person lives. You may need to try several of the search Web sites, because not all of them use the same methods for creating their database, and an individual may appear in some, all, or none of them. Here’s a list of some people search Web sites:

www.bigfoot.com

www.whowhere.com

www.four11.com (Yahoo.com’s people finder)

www.infospace.com (click on White pages - people search)

my.email.address.is/ (queries several other search sites)

www.iaf.net

www.findmemail.com

There’s a special Web site for finding high school classmates: http://www.classmates.com. You must register (free), and then you can search for other registered "classmates." A similar site is curious cat at http://www.curiouscat.net/alumni. This site is geared for schools at any level.

July 8, 2002

From The Mail Bag #46

Q: You recently referred to a map program from National Geographic. Where can I get that program? (FS, phone)

Q: When it comes to things like memory and hard drive space, how do I know how much to upgrade? I have a 20GB hard drive and 128MB RAM and I want involve myself in graphic design. (TM, e-mail)

Q: I have WordPerfect 7 and have lost my spell check, thesaurus and grammar checker. How do I get these back? (RW, phone)

Q: I want to save my Internet Explorer favorites. How do I do this? (WG, e-mail)

Q: I often create crossword and word puzzles and am looking for a program to help me construct them. (DF, e-mail)

A: Crosswords are very popular, and there are several programs available to help. They vary in cost and capabilities. Check out these:

Crossword Compiler V6 at www.crossword-puzzle-maker.com

Crossword Express V5.6 at www.crausword.com

Crossword Construction Kit V3.1a at www.crosswordkit.com

Crossword Weaver at www.crossweaver.com

Crosswords & more by Expert Software at software stores

Q: I have a Compaq computer with an instant Internet access button. I changed versions of AOL, but my Internet access button will only access my old version of AOL. How do I fix this? (MA, e-mail)

From The Mail Bag #45

May 6, 2002

Q: You described a compact portable backup device that plugs into the card slot of a laptop. Is there a model available for the Mac? (FJ, phone message))

A: No, it’s only available for the PC. The company has said they will have a Mac compatible device soon. You are referring to the CMS Products ABS Plus storage device and included software. It is available in 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 MB capacities, plugs into the PC card slot and is a super easy way to back up your laptop computers (for a copy of our review, send a SASE to us at the Shopping Bag/Advertiser).

Q: Is there some way I can donate or give away a working but older computer without dumping it in the trash? (NM, phone message)

A: You can check your local churches, youth groups or other charitable organizations to see if they could use it. In our experience, many of those groups are using software that requires newer computers, so they can’t use older technology. If you are able to donate it, you may qualify for a tax deduction. There are companies that recycle older computers by stripping them for useful parts and safely discarding the rest. They may charge you for this service. Try MIC Recycle 654-2623 or Rochester Computer Recycle and Recovery 546-6620. Computer Renaissance 424-2050 will buy some old computers for resale or recycle, so check with them as well.

Q: When I delete e-mail messages they seem to go into a deleted message folder. Is there an easy way to delete all the messages in the deleted message file without deleting them one at a time? (DM, e-mail)

A: Yes, in Outlook Express, in the folders list, right click on the Deleted Items folder. You’ll get a menu that includes a command: Empty Deleted Items folder. Click on this to delete all the messages in the Deleted Items folder. Another way to delete these messages is to do the following: in the deleted items folder click to select the first message in the list then scroll to the bottom of the list and, while holding the Shift key, click on the last message. This will select all the messages between the two clicks. Click on the Delete button or hit the Delete key. You’ll get a verifying message, click Yes and all the messages in the Deleted message folder will be gone. This second method will allow you to deleted selected messages such, as those older than one month, in case you need to retrieve one of the messages. Incidently, in Netscape Messenger, the deleted message folder is called the Trash folder. To delete its entire contents, click File and in the menu list click on "Empty Trash on Local Mail" and that will delete all the messages in Trash. The second method described above will also work if you want to selective delete messages from the Trash folder.

Q: I have a PC video camera attached to my computer and would like to start video conferencing. How do I go about it? (AD, e-mail)

A: Most Video PC cams come with NetMeeting or other teleconferencing software and directions for establishing an address with some Internet service. The service tracks their registered users to find out who is on-line with a camera at any one time. Scan the list and click on the person you'd like to conference with (you could also pre-arrange times with friends or family), and they'll get a message that you'd like to conference. They can accept or reject the request and go from there.

Q: What’s the difference between a ZIP disk and a floppy disk, and can I copy files from the Memory Stick from my digital camera to them? (RE, e-mail)

A: You can think of a ZIP Disk as a floppy with a large storage capacity. A floppy holds 1.44MB of data, and the ZIP holds either 100MB or 250MB, depending on which type you have. A floppy disk cannot be used in a ZIP drive and ZIP disks cannot be used in a floppy drive. Floppies cost pennies, ZIPs cost $8-9 for 100MB or $14-20 for 250MB. Compare that to the cost of your Memory Sticks. You can copy the pictures from your Memory Stick reader/writer directly to a ZIP Disk for storage, but then to view the pictures from the ZIP Disk you’d need some type of program.

Most digital cameras include some type of viewer or photo editing program. Or you can use a program such as Iomgea’s LifeWorks Photo Album. Both your pictures and the viewing program are stored on the ZIP Disk, so you’ll be able to view them immediately whenever you put your ZIP Disk in its drive. The Photo Album program launches automatically. In addition, your pictures can be easily categorized on the ZIP disk (i.e., holiday, vacation, friends), and you can give each picture a meaningful name such as "John, Mary and Sue at the table" instead of 4000056.jpg. You can also view these pictures on someone else’s computer equipt with a ZIP drive.

From The Mail Bag #44

March 4, 2002

Q: I’m using Microsoft Works, and some of the organizations I belong to send me Excel spreadsheets. I am unable to open them. Is there a method to convert Excel files so I can read them in Works? (NR, e-mail)

A: You won’t need to convert the files because Microsoft Works can open Excel files directly. Just go to the Files menu, select Open, then in the Open File dialog window find the "Files of Type" box and click on the down arrowhead. You’ll find a list of file types that Works can open. Select Excel SS and select or enter the desired file name in the "File name" box. Be sure that the "Look in" box contains the location of the file; if not click on the down arrowhead in that box and navigate to that location.

Microsoft Works can also save a Works spreadsheet as an Excel spreadsheet. Once you have the desired spreadsheet opened in Works, click on the File menu and select "Save as;" in the dialog box, select Excel SS in the "Save as type" box.

Q: I have an HP all-in-one scan/fax/inkjet printer. Recently when I installed a new color cartridge I got an error message saying the cartridge wasn’t installed and to please install a cartridge. I bought a second new one and got a similar error message. Does my printer need service? (JP, phone message)

A: According to the HP Web site, HP models 15, 17, 23, 41 and 78 are susceptible to contamination of the cartridge contacts in both the cartridge and in the printer. This gives rise to errors similar to those you report. They recommend cleaning the contacts on the cartridge itself by rubbing it with a dry paper coffee filter. They recommend cleaning the contacts in the printer with a soft lint-free cloth. Use care not to touch either contacts with your fingers to avoid contaminating them with skin oils or acids.

Q: A while ago you reviewed a printer that can copy and scan as well as print. What was that device and where can I get one? (NZ, phone message)

A: The Lexmark X83 All-In-One Print Center will scan/print/copy and is one we reviewed (for a copy of our review, send us a SASE at The Shopping Bag). The Lexmark X83 is available at office supply stores such as Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax and computer stores such as CompUSA and is priced at $149 with rebates.

Q: Every time our telephone rings, our computer turns on. The only new thing we’ve added to our computer is AOL version 6.0. How can we keep this from happening? (JM, e-mail)

A: It sounds like your computer comes on while in some type of stand-by mode. Just a few thoughts for your problem:

Fax programs and terminal programs that are set to auto answer can cause the computer to come out of standby for the call. Check the settings in these programs, usually under "connections," and deselect auto-answer.

Power management programs possibly could be responding to the phone ringing signal via interaction with the modem. Check settings for both the power management programs and the modem.

Virus can cause strange behaviors in computers. You should have an anti-virus program running to check for viruses.

Windows help also offers this little tid-bit:

"To receive phone calls while your computer is on standby, start the program you use to answer your telephone. If you use an external modem, make sure it is turned on. When your computer receives a phone call, the computer comes out of standby for the duration of the call and then goes back on standby. You may want to save your work before putting your computer on standby. While the computer is on standby, information in computer memory is not saved on your hard disk. If there is an interruption in power, information in memory is lost."

Lastly, check with your computer's modem manufacturer to see if they have any thoughts on your problem and contact AOL tech support for any additional insight on this problem.

Q: I want to donate my old computer. What do I do about all the programs I’ve loaded on it. Should I remove them? (SM, e-mail)

A: It’s probably best to "wipe" (format) your hard drive(s) to insure that no sensitive or personal data is inadvertently passed on to the recipient. To do this, under Windows Help, type in keyword format, select format and print out the directions. All your programs and data will be lost and your computer may not operate until someone reloads Windows from the original disks.

If you have extremely sensitive personal and/or financial information stored on your computer, then you might consider a secure erase that is provided by programs such as Norton’s SystemWorks WipeInfo feature before you format your drive(s).

If you want to donate the programs with the computer, give the recipient the original disks and manuals and let them reload the programs and operating system.

From The Mail Bag #43

January 21, 2002

Q: Do you have any recommendations for Internet providers? (AP, phone)

A: With the recent news of national ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in trouble or going under, there is always concern about the reliability of an Internet provider. If you’d like to deal with a Rochester area provider, consider Frontiernet, Net Access or EZ Net. Each has been around for a while and established records of service and reliability. For a national provider, especially if you are new to the Internet, we still recommend AOL for its ease of use and add-on features such as forums and chat rooms. The pricing for dial-up services for any of these providers ranges from $20 to $25 per month, with occasional discounts for pre-payments. Talk to your friends and neighbors to see which ISPs they are using and how they like (or dislike) them. Beware of the "bargain" providers. Although the base price may sound tempting, you need to read the fine print. The price may be for limited periods of usage or may require a long-term commitment, or there may be extra charges for extended time or restrictions such as no e-mail attachments.

If your budget permits $25 to $50 per month and you want a faster connection than dial-up, you’ll want to consider Road Runner, a cable modem service provided through Time-Warner Cable, or Lightning Link a DSL (digital service/subscriber line), provided by Frontier (and others). Under ideal circumstances, both work well but . . . Road Runner speed does slow down as more subscribers are added to your local node, i.e. as your neighbors subscribe to Road Runner. The DSL speed is independent of the number or users, but the service is not available in all areas and in those areas that it is available, speed and reliability may depend on how far you live from the switching station and also the quality of the telephone wires serving you. You could switch between services, but connection fees will likely apply, and there’s the nuisance of changing your e-mail address(es).

Q: Can I record my VHS tapes onto a DVD? (LU, phone)

A: Yes. The easiest, though not necessarily the cheapest way is to use a DVD recorder. The current price of DVD recorders is in the $1,000++ range, and there are three competing DVD recording formats that are not compatible with each other or most existing DVD players. These recorders will take input from your VHS player or camcorder (some units will accept digital video, others will not) and record a DVD-R disk that can be played back on that DVD machine only. The DVD disk media currently run around $10/disk. Because of the media expense plus the incompatible formats, you may want to wait this method out.

An alternative way is to transfer VHS tapes to CD-V (video CD). There’s a little more work involved in this process. First you’ll need to capture the video and audio stream from your VHS tapes and save it in a CD-V compatible MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group, a compression format for video) format on your computer hard drive. For this process you’ll need a video capture device. Some computer display adapter cards come with video capture capability, or you can install a video capture card in your computer or attach an external video capture device. Most of these devices come with the appropriate software for this capture chore. These devices will accept video inputs from your VHS, camcorder and some will accept digital camcorder output. You’ll need a large hard drive since video, even in the compressed format, takes a lot of space.

At this point you can edit your video from the hard drive if you like--take out blank spots, re-arrange scenes, add voice-overs or music and in general, be creative. Once the video is to your liking, then you can record (burn) the video to a CD in the CD-V format. You’ll need appropriate software, such as Easy CD Creator V5 Platinum (Roxio, $89.99) and a CD read/write drive. Once recorded, the CD-V can be played back in many newer DVD players or on your computer. A CD-V disk holds about 70 minutes of video, and it’s best to buy CDs that are meant for CD-V for the best results.

Q: I remember seeing an article in your column about Lionel Train software that allowed you to design layouts on your computer. What was that? (JH, e-mail)

A: Yes, we reviewed a program, 3D Ultra Lionel Train Town (Sierra, $29.95) that used a layout simulation with replicas of many of the Lionel trains, engines and cars. You could use the layouts provided to drive your train to pick up and deliver all sorts of goods, pick up and deliver passengers--all the while making sure you had fuel, avoiding damaged tracks and watching out for other trains, cars, bridges and even aliens and more. Or design your own layout, complete with scenery, jobs to complete and dangers to watch out for. Then build the train and drive it on the layout or challenge others to tackle your layout successfully. We thought it was lots of fun.

From The Mail Bag #42

November 19, 2001

Q: I want to sell some items on eBay, but I think they are too big to ship? What should I do? (MB, phone)

A: e-Bay (www.eBay.com) is a wonderful place to browse–sort of a gigantic flea market, right in your computer. Items of all sizes and kinds are bought and sold, from the tiniest piece of jewelry to cars and boats, so size is almost never a problem. It’s the cost of shipping that may concern some potential sellers. But not to worry. When you put your item up for auction, just be sure to indicate that the buyer is to pay the shipping and even packaging costs if you want, and let the buyer decide if it’s a problem or not. A buyer may be close enough to pick up an item in person (if you offer that option), saving shipping and/or packaging cost. Some items can be partially disassembled, making packing and shipping easier. eBay has all kinds of help and helpful suggestions for potential buyers and sellers, so it’s worth spending some time reading what they have to say. Also, several books that you can find in the library have tips and tricks about buying and selling on eBay.

Q: I recently bought a used laptop computer. I do not use it to connect to the Internet but I occasionally use discs that I’ve received from friends. Do I need to worry about computer viruses? (MV, phone)

A: Yes, you do need to worry about viruses from discs. Viruses affect your computer in ways ranging from simply annoying to completely devastating and can come into your computer from various sources. The Internet is commonly the prime suspect for virus infection if you download programs or other files or open e-mail attachments. Viruses can also enter your computer from floppy disks given to you by well-meaning friends. And you, in turn, may pass that virus, unknowingly, to others. Consumer programs that you buy may contain viruses, but this rarely happens.

In your case, you first need to be sure your used computer didn’t come with a virus. An anti-virus program (such as Norton Anti-Virus), once installed, can scan your computer to insure it is virus-free. Then the anti-virus program "stands guard," monitoring downloads and e-mail from the Internet for viruses. The program can also be set to automatically scan any floppy disk that is inserted into the computer. Or you can choose to manually scan each floppy before reading information from it. When a virus is found, the program will give you the option of eliminating the virus, which in most instances it can do, or storing the infected file in a safe place for study later (by the company).

New viruses are being created all the time and old viruses may change, so it is very important to keep your anti-virus software updated with the latest virus info. For those who have Internet connections Norton Anti-Virus does this easily and quickly with what they call "Live Update." This service comes free for one year with the program, and you can continue it for a nominal yearly charge thereafter (it’s cheap insurance). If you don’t have an Internet connection, you’ll need to call the program’s technical support number and request update disks.

Q: Does the Lexmark printer-scanner you wrote about recently fax too? We have a small home office and are looking for an multi-purpose unit. (FA, phone)

A: The Lexmark X83 scan/print/copy unit that we wrote about in a recent column does not have a stand alone fax capability. It needs to be connected to a computer and will use the computer’s modem and fax software to send and receive color or black-and-white faxes.

Lexmark has, however, introduced an all purpose printer/scanner/copier/fax, the Lexmark X63 All-In-One Office Center (Lexmark, $199). This unit can be used as a stand alone color copier (single sheets only) and a full-featured black and white or color fax. When connected to your computer, it can be used as a color printer and a scanner. Print quality is excellent, especially for photographs. With the scanner feature you can scan a document, drawing, photo or any single page into a file, an application or send it automatically as an attachment to an e-mail. Once scanned, you can also OCR documents to create an editable text file. We’ve had a Lexmark X63 All-In-One Office Center to use for a while and like it a lot. We are especially impressed with the print quality and the convenience of a small all-in-one-unit.

Q: Is your book Computers Made Really Easy For Beginners still available? (RD, phone)

A: Yes, just send a request for the book Computers Made Really Easy For Beginners and include a mailing address. Send to Lion Press, PO Box 92541, Rochester, NY 14692, and they will ship the book and an invoice. Inspect the book for 30 days; if you want to keep it, pay the invoice. If not, return the book.

From The Mail Bag #41

September 10, 2001

Q: We Web TV-types are usually left in the dark and do not get much needed information. For instance, is there some way a scanner can be part of my Web TV? (GC, e-mail)

A: The HP e-scanner ($99 street) provides a video output and is designed to work with the Web TV Plus system. This unit will scan 4x6 photos into the Scrapbook for Web TV Plus use.

Web TV types can find useful information and more help, including many links to other sites, at http://www.geocities.com:0080/Yosemite/Trails/4666/tools.html. .

Q: I’d like to transfer e-mail addresses from a database I have to the address book in Outlook Express. Is there any software to do this? (DZ, e-mail)

A: You don’t need any special software to do this transfer. Outlook Express has an import option that will take several standard database file formats, such as comma delimited records, from a variety of databases and transfer one or more fields into the Outlook Express address book. To do this, you first have to export a comma delimited version (commonly called comma separated value or .csv file) of your current database to a file. Then, in Outlook Express, go to File>Import select other Address Book and indicate the type of file (in this case, comma separated value). You’ll then have to map the fields to indicate which field from your database you want placed in the appropriate Outlook Express field.

Q: Written on the back of my AC/DC adapter for my laptop computer is "Input: 100-240V." Does this mean that I can use the computer in Great Britain without a separate voltage converter? Radio Shack says "yes," Hewlett-Packard says "no." (BK, e-mail)

A: The AC voltage frequency may cause a problem if the adapter is not designed for the 50 cycle European type power. If the adapter input states 100-240V and 50/60Hz, then it should be OK to use. However, if your laptop is an HP, then we’d be inclined to heed their advice, especially if it will affect your warranty or service agreement. For more info on foreign voltage conversion check http://www.voltagevalet.com/idx.html.

Q: Can I record music from my DVD player to my computer’s CD-R drive? (MS, phone message)

A: Yes. Connect the audio output from your DVD player to the line-in of the computer sound card. You’ll be able to use the Sound Recorder feature of Windows to record short (60 seconds) music clips to your computer hard drive. If you want to record longer selections, you’ll then need one of the music CD programs such as Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum (for a copy of our review of Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum, send a SASE to us at The Shopping Bag). By using Easy CD Creator, you can use the music on your computer’s hard drive to record (burn) your CD-R in either an audio CD format (so it’s playable on any audio CD player), or in a compressed format (such as MP3). The latter allows you to record much more music on the CD, but to play it on your computer you’ll need MP3 player software or an MP3 player unit that handles CDs.

Q: I have a 4.0GB hard drive as my C: drive but it is full, so I had a 7.85GB hard drive added as my D: drive. How do I transfer files from my C: drive to my D: drive? (SG, e-mail)

A: There are two general types of files: program files and data files. Program files contain the actual program(s); data files include word processing documents, graphic files, sound files data from financial, spreadsheet or database programs and such.

Data files can be easily copied or moved to your D: drive by dragging and dropping them to folders you’ve created on the D: drive. You may have to change preferences in some programs to indicate the new location for the data.

Program files can’t be moved safely because there is no easy way to notify Windows of the new location of the program. To put program files on the D: drive, it may be necessary to uninstall and then reinstall the program, indicating during the install process that you want the program installed to the D: drive.

Q: A few columns ago you mentioned new eyeglass-like devices that were computer monitors. Can these be used to help someone who has macular degeneration see the computer screen better? (RB, phone message)

A: The product you are referring to is Eye-Trek by Olympus. The lens system in Eye-Trek gives the wearer a view of the computer screen equivalent to a 50-60 inch screen seen from a distance of six feet. Although some limited zoom magnification is available with these glasses, it probably won’t be enough. But Windows has a built-in magnifier that you could try. It’s found at Programs>Accessories>Accessibility>Magnifier. This will produce a split screen, with part of the screen showing a magnified view of the cursor position. The amount of magnification can be varied.

From The Mail Bag #40

May 14, 2001

Q: Is the sound from MP3 as good as that on audio CDs? (LN, e-mail)

A: It’s in the eyes (or in this case, the ears) of the beholder. Both audio CD and MP3 are digital representations of the original analog sound, whether it’s voice, piano, guitar or any other type. And to confuse matters, the original sound in some of today’s modern music can be digital.

The MP3 version of a selection, by design, is actually missing part of the original recorded signal. This is done to reduce the file size of the selection and make it easier to store, download and upload from the Internet. The parts of the sound that are missing are those least perceived by most people, as determined by both human studies of how we hear and by analysis of the sound signals themselves. For instance, if a part of the sound signal loudness is below the threshold level of human hearing, then it is eliminated in the MP3 encoding process. Several other criteria are also applied to determine what can be eliminated. When the identical selection is played as an A-to-B comparison (MP3 to original audio CD) on a good sound system, most people who have normal hearing can tell the difference. For many of those who can tell the difference, however, the difference seems so little that the MP3 version is acceptable. Another consideration is the way most people commonly listen to MP3 music: on portable players with fair to mediocre earphones, in noisy environments, or on inexpensive computer speakers. All this plays (excuse the pun) into the consideration of how the MP3 music is accepted. The bottom line is how the selections sound to you, and this is a very personal choice.

Q: Several programs that came with my computer are ones I never use. I want them off of my Desk Top. How do I do that? (E-mail)

A: The easiest way to remove programs from Windows is to go to Start>Settings>Control Panel; then click on Add/Remove Programs. In the dialog box, scroll down until you find the unwanted program, select it by single clicking, and then click on Add/Remove. Verify that you want to remove it, and it should be removed from your system. You may get warning or informational boxes that ask about removing specific files. If you know for sure they are not needed by any other program, then OK their removal; otherwise, leave the file.

Although this is the safest way to remove programs from Windows, some programs provide their own uninstall utility, so check that out as well. Go to Start>Programs and look for the unwanted program in the listing. Check to see if there is an uninstall program utility included with the listing. Another option is to try contacting Customer Support for your computer or the publisher of the program for any additional advice in safely removing the program files and any references to it.

Q: Where can I find e-mail or standard mail addresses for my classmates? We are planning a reunion and have lost track of some of them. (IF, phone message)

A: There are several search Web sites on the Internet that you can use for finding people and e-mail addresses. You need to try several of the search Web sites, because not all of them use the same methods for creating their database, and an individual may appear in some, all, or none of them. If all else fails, call your friend on the telephone and ask for his/her e-mail address. Sounds sort of low-tech, but considering the lack of any comprehensive address database and the frequency with which some people change their e-mail address, it may be the most efficient way. Anyway, here’s a list of some people search Web sites:

www.bigfoot.com

www.whowhere.com

www.four11.com

www.infospace.com (click on White pages - people search)

www.worldpages.com

There’s a special Web site for finding high school classmates: http://www.classmates.com. You must register (free), and then you can search for other registered "classmates."

Q: Where can I buy the Intel Pocket PC camera you referred to a few columns ago? (G, phone)

A: They are available at CompUSA and Best Buy.

Q: Where can I get a hex editor to directly change file entries in hex or ASCII mode on a floppy disk? (RSB, e-mail)

A: Try the Web site www.hexworkshop.com for their latest version of Hex Workshop Hex Editor. It runs under Windows and should give you more than enough tools for the job. You can download a trial version of the program from their site, and if you like it, buy it for $49.95 for the 32-bit version and $29.95 for the 16-bit version. Also, if you can find an older version of Norton Utilities, it contained a disk editor that might work for you.

From The Mail Bag #39

March 26, 2001

Q: Do you have any information on scanners? (AF, Rochester)

A: Scanners (for computers) are devices that convert pictures, photos, drawings and text into a picture (image) that can be displayed on a computer screen. The image can then be saved as a file. Once in a file, the image can be enhanced, combined with documents, sent over the Internet and more.

Scanned photos are especially useful and fun for home, business and organizations. Scanned photos can be printed, sent with e-mail and added to correspondence, brochures, sales letters, newsletters, school reports and much more.

Scanned text differs from scanned photos in that the text is actually a picture of the text on the screen, and, in this format, you cannot make changes in the text. If you want to make changes (edit) scanned text, you must use an OCR (optical character recognition) program to convert the picture of the text into editable text.

Scanner resolution measures the quality of the scan and is measured in dpi (dots per inch). Scanners in the $100 range will produce scans of 600 x 1200 dpi. Those in the $100 plus range will do 1200 plus dpi. The number of colors the scanner can display is measured in bits: 24 bit color is common in today’s lower-priced scanners and is quite suitable for most applications. More expensive scanners will do 36 plus bit color, which is usually needed only for more critical applications. Another factor is speed: less expensive scanners may take a minute or two (or three) to complete a scan, whereas the more expensive scanners may do several pages per minute.

Scanners connect to your computer via the parallel (printer) port or USB (universal serial bus) port. Some faster, more expensive units may also use the USB port, but some need a SCSI (small computer system interface) port requiring a special card (sometimes included with the scanner) installed in your computer.

The kind of scanner that is right for you depends on its intended use and your budget. For family photos, sending pictures on the Internet and non-critical documents, the lower resolution, slower, less costly scanners will usually do just fine.

Q: How can I get e-mail addresses from a database into my list of e-mail address in the Microsoft Outlook Express address book? (DZ, Spencerport)

A: The address book in Outlook Express permits direct importing of names, addresses, e-mails and such from other sources, such as databases. Before you import you’ll have to do a "Save As" (you do have a backup of your database don’t you?) of the database file in a compatible file format. Text CSV (comma separated values) is a common import/export format to use.

The import feature in Outlook Express is found under Tools>Address book>file>Import>address book. You’ll have to choose the text (CSV) file type to import from the list presented. Enter or Browse to the CSV file you’ve created from your database and you’ll have to "map" the individual character fields you want from your database into the similar Outlook Express fields. Then perform the import and the desired e-mail addresses and other data will appear in your Outlook Express Address book for your use.

Q: I’m on AOL and receive pictures from friends, but I can’t see them. I download the pictures into My Files, but all I get is a lot of words. How can I see the pictures? (DD, e-mail)

A: AOL has built-in viewers that let you to see pictures that have been downloaded from e-mail attachments. From the AOL menu bar, select File>Open, then in the dialog box near the top in the LOOK IN window, use the pull down arrow to get to the My Files folder, then near the bottom click on the down arrow to see the Files of Type that can be opened and viewed. Picture files are commonly in .JPG format, so start by selecting that. If that doesn’t work, try GIF or BMP types and lastly All Files. If none of these work, then you’ll need to "decode" the file to extract the picture file format.

Picture files sent over the Internet are encoded, and if viewed by a word processor may look like pages of words or gibberish. These files need to be decoded to view as pictures. AOL viewers do that for you. Under AOL Help>Member Services Online Help, pick topic "Downloading files & attachments," select "Downloading & Viewing pictures," select Viewers. These are programs that decode the files for you. If all this fails, then under AOL Help select Member Services Online Help and click on "ask a Tech."

From The Mail Bag #38

February 19, 2001

Q: I’m having trouble using the USB port to connect a printer to my computer. I receive error messages such as "can’t find the printer" even though the printer is plugged into the USB. Any ideas? (JU, Rochester)

A: The USB (universal serial bus) is a good feature and allows multiple devices to share the same connection. When you plug a device into the USB, Windows 98 recognizes a new device and then searches for and loads the proper driver to make it work. Plug in another device, and the same thing happens. But some computers seem fussier than others about devices sharing the USB. Issues such as which device is plugged into the USB first and hence which driver is loaded first may be a problem. Or having other devices plugged into the USB when installing a new set of drivers may cause the new device not to be recognized. So, before installing the new printer on your USB, unplug any other device connected to the USB and then re-try the installation.

Q: What is the ESRB rating I find on the box of software I buy? (HH, Rochester)

A: ESRB stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board, an independent, non-profit organization that has developed a rating system for video and computer games to help consumers decide whether the content of games or other programs is suitable for them or their family. There are two parts to the rating: the first is the age group, which is divided into five categories: EC, early childhood (ages 3 and up); E, everyone (ages six and up); T, teen (ages 13 and up); M, mature (ages 17 and up); AO, adult only. In addition on the back of the program box there may be a content description giving you an idea of what to expect in the game or program. The content might indicate mild animated violence, animated blood or reading skills needed. As examples, the program Lego Island 2 is rated "E," with content description given as "comic mischief" or Gangsters 2, rated "T" with content given as "blood, violence." Manufacturers voluntarily submit their programs to the Rating Board. More information can be found at the ESRB’s Web site: www.esrb.com.

Q: I’ve heard that Wave software on your computer can create an Internet Answering Machine Service but there are problems. Any information? (CB, e-mail)

A: VocalTec Communications, who originated the Internet Wave software, has discontinued the program and any further development.

Q: I use the envelope printing feature often in Microsoft Word 6. I’d like to change the font and style. How do I do that? (BB, e-mail)

A: To change font size and style on an envelope in Word 6, go to Tools, Envelope, and then select Options. This brings up a menu where you can select a Font and Font Size. If you have text entered before you do this, you must first select the text and then follow the steps for changing it to the new font, size or style.

Q: Can we e-mail you from Florida and how do I copy an e-mail I’ve received to sent to someone else without including the headers, names and so forth, and how do I send something I scanned to someone I’m sending an e-mail to? (WS, e-mail)

A: We’ll take the questions in order: yes you can e-mail us from Florida, our e-mail address is the same whether you send your e-mail to us from Rochester, Florida, Australia or anywhere in the world.

If you don’t want to include the header info from an e-mail you’ve received but want to send the text to someone else, use the copy and paste functions: click and drag the cursor, holding down the left mouse button, to block the text you want to copy, release the mouse button, the text should be highlighted. Then, under the Edit menu, select Copy. This copies that text to the Windows clipboard. In your new message composition window, place the cursor where you want the copied text to appear, from the Edit menu, select Paste, and the desired text should appear.

To send something you’ve scanned along with an e-mail, you need to attach the file containing the scanned item to the e-mail. To do this, when you compose your e-mail message, click on the Attach button, (the icon with the tiny paper clip on it). In the Attach file dialog window that appears, find the file where you saved your scanned item. Select it and then click on Attach, and the file of your scanned item will be sent along with your e-mail. Be aware that large files can take a while to send. To avoid this problem, scan your item and save it in a compressed format such as JPG to reduce file size.

From The Mail Bag #37

December 25, 2000

A number of our readers contacted us by phone, e-mail and snail mail to remind us that AOL subscribers can also access their e-mail from any computer that has access to the Internet. The computer you use does not need to have AOL software installed. You just need to go to www.aol.com, enter your screen name and password to be able to send and receive e-mail and have access to several other AOL features. Thanks to all of you for passing that information along.

Q: I’d like to make a genealogical picture gallery of my family and my wife’s family. I’m thinking about buying a computer and a scanner and/or a digital camera. What’s the best way to go about this venture? (SH, Rochester)

A: To take full advantage of your computer’s capabilities you might want to create a multimedia gallery. There you can include traditional family tree layouts with names, relationships to others, dates of birth, marriage, death, and the like and also pictures of the individuals, audio and/or video clips, images of important documents such as marriage certificates, immigration papers and notes. This type of multimedia gallery needs to be viewed on a computer for full effect, but the family tree charts and pictures can be printed for framing, giving to relatives and such. Or create a simpler family tree layout on your computer, add pictures and other documents and print the charts in a variety of attractive formats. You can add multimedia elements later if you want.

If you’re about to buy a computer to use for genealogical purposes, be sure to buy one that has a good amount of storage space for the pictures and multimedia elements. Look for 8 to 10GB hard drive space and 128MB or more of RAM (random access memory, the work space of the computer), which is helpful in working with a large number of pictures simultaneously on screen.

Once you have the computer, you’ll need to backup your projects, since they represent a great deal of work. So be sure you have a way of backing up large files in a format that can by stored away from the computer. We recommend either a ZIP drive or a CD-R (CD-ROM writer) drive for this task.

A scanner is a must, since you most likely will be dealing with a large number of family photos. With a scanner, you’ll be able to scan the photos and convert them into a format the computer can use for the projects. The scanner can also be used to create images of various documents you may want to include in your projects. A digital camera is helpful for including new pictures in your project, but suitable cameras are expensive. Since you probably already own a film camera, taking pictures the old-fashion way and then scanning the prints is a more economical and flexible way to go until you think you really need (and can afford) a 3.1+ megapixel quality camera.

There are two genealogy programs suitable for your project: Family Tree Maker and Generations. The one you choose is a matter of approach and taste. Family Tree Maker (Broderbund) uses a family unit approach by starting with a husband/wife pair and building from that. Generations (Sierra) uses an individual as the basis for building the tree. With either program you’ll be able to attach pictures, video clips, other documents or images and notes to any person’s entry. Both programs offer a wide range of printout options and include a good amount of help for tracking down ancestors. This help includes extensive reference lists contained within the programs themselves and links to Internet sites for additional help.

Q: Whenever I make changes in my tennis schedule, which I keep in Word, the alignment of the names, dates and team names keeps shifting. How do I keep these in neat columns? (AW, Rochester)

A: This can be done in at least two ways. The fastest and easiest way is to place a single tab between each entry to separate the names, dates and team names. Then set the tabs to the desired spacing. You can then specify the tab as right or left aligned, depending how you’d like the entries to look, and even place dot leaders between entries for easier readability. To set Tabs in Word, left click on the ruler in the place you’d like the tab set, then select the desired tab type.

An alternative way to create a neat schedule is to use tables. Go to Insert, Table and specify the number of columns and rows you want. This will create a grid that you can fill in with the names etc. You can print these out with or without the grid lines.

From The Mail Bag #36

October 23, 2000

Q: How do I access my e-mail if I’m out of town and don’t have my computer? (MM, phone)

A: You didn’t say which ISP (Internet service provider) you’re using. If your ISP uses the common standard, POP3 e-mail protocol, (AOL does not use POP3 but see below), then you can take advantage of e-mail checking through the MailStart Web site, a free service. All you do is to find a computer that has access to the Internet and log on to www.mailstart.com and then enter your e-mail address and password as instructed. MailStart then retrieves a copy of your e-mail and converts it to a web page document for you to read and/or print at the remote computer. You will not be able to view attachments, but you can send a reply. MailStart leaves the original e-mail messages (and attachments) on your ISP’s servers so they’ll be there for you to see when you return home.

If you have concerns about privacy and security in giving out your e-mail address and password, read MailStart’s security policies on their Web site before you use their service.

If AOL is your ISP, you cannot use MailStart. To check AOL e-mail from a remote location, you’ll need to find someone who has AOL software already installed on their computer. Then simply log on as a guest, enter your screen name and password and access your e-mail as if you were at home. You’ll be able to see attachments, such as photos, and reply directly to e-mails.

Q: I’m trying to use e-mail with Windows 98 and Outlook Express. I keep getting an error message: "Unable to find server." What’s wrong? (TV, e-mail)

A: You didn’t say who your ISP is for e-mail. It sounds as though your computer is not connected to the Internet at the time you want to send or receive e-mail or that your dial-up connection is not properly configured for your ISP. It’s best to check with the ISP’s technical support for this problem.

Q: My wife and I were at a place featuring live entertainment that consisted of a singer playing the guitar and a full-sounding instrumental back-up. The entertainer said the back-up was a computerized program, but couldn’t remember the name. My wife is an entertainer and would like to take advantage of this kind of computerized instrumental back-up. Any idea what the program might have been? (RJW, e-mail)

A: Some of our more musically attuned readers might help us out here with additional suggestions, but one type of computerized music that’s suitable as background for vocals is called MIDI Karaoke. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a signal standard by which various musical instruments such as keyboards, synthesizers or computer soundcards can communicate with a computer and each other. Using the MIDI standard, a computer can control and play such a musical instrument. The information the computer uses is stored in a MIDI file in the computer.

Karaoke is a form of entertainment in which a live person sings along with pre-recorded accompaniment. In addition to the music, the karaoke devices will also display the song lyrics in time to the music. The MIDI Karaoke file is a MIDI file in which one of the music tracks contains the text of the song lyrics. With a computer running a MIDI Karaoke computer program, the musical accompaniment will be played using the computer’s soundboard or other attached MIDI instrument, and the lyrics will appear on the computer screen.

The quality of the accompaniment music will depend on how well the original MIDI version was written and what instrument is used to play it on. The newer computer soundcards with wavetable synthesis will produce the best quality sound, since these soundcards store recorded samples of actual instrument sounds. These samples are then used in reconstructing the musical selection. There are several types of MIDI Karaoke files, depending on which program was used to create them, and you may need different programs to play them. The .KAR format is the most common in the shareware/freeware market and many, many songs are available in this format.

MIDI Karaoke programs to play the music and display the lyrics are available as commercial, shareware or free programs, and MIDI Karaoke files are available in commercial, shareware or free versions in a wide selection of styles ranging from jazz to opera, easy-listening to classical. For an informative Web site on MIDI Karaoke, including links to sites for downloads of programs and MIDI Karaoke files log on to: http://www.teleport.com/~labrat/karfaq.shtml.

Errata: A reader informed us that in a previous column we referred to the bar at the bottom of the computer screen in windows as the "Toolbar." It should be called the "Taskbar." Thanks for keeping us honest.

From The Mail Bag #35

September 4, 2000

Q: Can the Hallmark Card Studio Deluxe program you described in a recent column be used on an iMac? (JV, E-mail)

A: No, the program is designed for use on a Windows 95/98 based computer. Design and Print Studio by MacSoft or Print Explosion by Nova may be helpful in designing greeting cards from the Mac platform.

Q: What are Internet cookies and how do I get rid of them? (GW, phone)

A: A cookie, in Internet terms, is a small packet of information about you. The information is requested by a Web site you’re visiting and is stored as a file on your computer and makes using that Web site easier and faster by providing the Web site with information such as what pages you visited, products ordered, your name, address, phone number, credit card info, etc. This info is then given back to the Web site during your current visit or on subsequent visits.

In some ways, cookies are similar to telephone Caller ID; if you call a Web site, the Web site asks your computer for the cookie specific for that site and reads the info. A cookie is not necessarily a bad thing, and some Web sites may not operate properly without them, but you may not like the idea of unknowingly giving a Web site information about you or having that info available on your computer.

Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer accept cookies automatically unless you set an option to warn when a cookie is offered by a Web site; Navigator or Explorer then give you the option of accepting or refusing the cookie. To set this option in Netscape Navigator, go to the Menu item Edit>Preferences>Advanced, then choose the option to warn if cookies are offered, or to accept all cookies or reject all cookies, then click Apply. In Internet Explorer, select Menu item View>Internet Options>the Advanced tab, scroll to the Cookies section, choose your desired option and then click Apply. In addition, you might want to use Find on the Start menu to locate the cookie folder or subdirectory and delete all the files in it. In Windows 98, the Maintenance Wizard will also help you find and clear cookies as well as perform other system tune-up items. Look for it under Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools.

Q: When I’m through using e-mail, I have to shut down my computer completely to disconnect from the phone line. Is there a better way? (BF, e-mail)

A: You didn’t say which e-mail system you are using. If you’re using Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer (Outlook Express) for e-mail, when you close the program, you’ll usually see a message that your modem/telephone connections are still open and are asked if you’d like to close them. If this doesn’t happen, check on your windows tool bar at the bottom right of your screen for a tiny double computer icon. This is your dial-up connection icon. Double click on this and you’ll get a Status box showing the speed of connection, time on line and a button to allow you to disconnect. Click this button, and your modem should disconnect without having to shut down your computer. Similarly, AOL will disconnect automatically when you close the program; if it doesn’t, check with their on-line technical support.

If you are using other e-mail services, you’ll need to check with their technical support for help on how to disconnect from their service and hang up the modem.

Q: When I tried to do a disk defragmentation on my hard drive, the process only goes so far and I get a message saying "System changed, restarting." What is happening? EC(e-mail)

A: Disk defragmentation is a process that tidies up the arrangement and location of files on your hard drive, allowing for improved performance of your computer. During defragmentation, the disk defragmenter program must restart each time other programs write to disk. If the disk defragmenter restarts too often, you may want to close other programs while defragmenting your disk. Any program running in the background may be the cause, including screen savers. Check the windows tool bar at the bottom of your screen to see which programs may be running and close them. You can usually do this by right clicking on their icon and selecting Close or Exit from the menu that pops up.

Also, check your task list by holding down the Ctrl, Alt, Delete keys simultaneously and then close any programs you recognize as being unnecessary. Don’t close any programs you don’t recognize, since they may be necessary for your computer to operate properly. To close the screen saver, right click on the windows background and select Properties from the menu. Click on the Screen Saver tab and select None from the list, then click Apply>OK.

From The Mail Bag #34

July 17, 2000

Q: I’m using Windows 98 with a Pentium 200 MHz processor and 80MB RAM. As I work, my computer becomes slower and slower. There are 18 icons in my system tray at the bottom of the screen, including some I don’t even recognize. What is happening, and what can I do to help improve performance? (DH, e-mail)

A: Unfortunately, Windows 98 and many programs that you install place icons in the system tray without asking if you want them there. These programs may also configure themselves, without your permission, to load when you start your computer. These programs running in the background, as well as temporary files, files in the recycle bin, fragmented hard drive and other factors may impact your computer’s performance. Fortunately, Windows 98 provides a relatively simple way to help: the Maintenance Wizard. You’ll find it at Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Maintenance Wizard. This Wizard will lead you through a series of steps to take care of most of the common performance problems.

Other options that may help: remove the "Quick Launch" icons found in the portion of the Task Bar just to the right of Start by right clicking on a blank part of the Task Bar, then scroll to Toolbars, and click on Quick Launch to deselect it; right click on other icons that remain and check to see if they offer an option "Do Not Load On Startup;" check the StartUp folder found in C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp for programs you don’t want to load/run on start up and simply delete them from this folder; remove programs that you are no longer using or don’t want in your computer by going to the Add/Remove feature found at Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs, then click on the install/uninstall tab, highlight any unwanted programs you are familiar with (if you’re not sure, don’t remove) and click Add/Remove.

Q: I have an older Pentium computer with 40MB RAM, Real Player 2 and Microsoft Player. I connect to the Internet using AOL, and whenever I try to download music (even samples), the sound is fragmented and jumps all over, playing clearly for a fraction of a second and then skipping. How can I eliminate this problem? (MS, e-mail)

A: We assume you’re talking about MP3 music. You didn't say whether you were trying play the music during the download (sometimes called streaming) or whether you download the music, save it in a file and then play it from that file. Playing music with best quality as it "arrives" on the Internet depends on a fast Internet connection, fast computer and lots of RAM. Try downloading a selection, saving it in a file and then playing it from the file. If it sounds OK that way, your Internet connection may be at fault. If not, then you may want to consider upgrading your computer if playing MP3 music is important to you. Also leave a note for AOL tech support and have them check the speed of your connection and check AOL Help for any tips on playing music from the Internet via AOL.

Q: I’m considering buying a new Pentium laptop computer with Windows 98 and wonder if Office 97 or Office 2000 would run OK on it. What are the advantages of Office 2000? (RB, e-mail)

A: Either Microsoft Office 97 or 2000 should run OK on a laptop using Windows 98. Just make sure the laptop has at least 64MB of RAM for best performance. Office 2000 has several upgraded features that may make it a better choice than Office 97 (if you missed our Bits ‘n Bytes column on the Office suites, send us a SASE at the address below). The most notable improvement is the Collect and Paste feature. This allows you to cut or copy up to 12 items to keep on the clipboard and then paste any of them into any Office document. The Office Assistant Help has been improved, and the ClipArt images are better organized and include the ability to drag and drop from the thumbnails.

Q: I get e-mails that have clickable lines to direct me to Web pages. How can I make these clickable lines in my e-mail? (AT, e-mail)

A: You are referring to a hypertext link or simply, link. When you compose your e-mail, block the word, phrase or line you want to make a link out of and in the menu bar choose Insert > Link if you are using Netscape or Insert > Hyperlink if you are using Outlook Express. In the dialog box, type in the Web address of the site you want to link to. Click Apply, then OK. The blocked text will change color and be underlined, indicating that it is now a link.

From The Mail Bag #33

June 5, 2000

Q: How do I keep specific programs from loading every time I turn on my computer? (DS, Rochester)

A: Different programs load in different ways, so it’s not always easy to stop them from loading at startup. Some programs create a shortcut in the Startup folder, and so you might want check this folder. One way to get to the Startup Folder is to go into Start>Settings>Taskbar>Start Menu Programs>Advanced, choose the Programs folder, then the StartUp folder and delete the shortcut to the programs that you don’t want to load when you turn on your computer. Don’t delete any shortcuts you don’t recognize, since they may be important for the configuration of your computer.

If your unwanted program has an icon on the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen, try right clicking on the icon to see if you are given an option to keep the program from loading when you start up. Also, when you first install some programs, there will be an option for whether you want them to load on start up. Try re-installing the program and selecting the NO option. Other options involve editing various initialization or registry files, but doing this can be dangerous to the health of your computer. This job is best left to experts. Another good source for solving your problem is to check with technical support for your program to see what they recommend.

Q: I can’t fax from my scanner or export the scanned document elsewhere to fax it. What can I do to fax a scanned document? (JB, e-mail)

A: A properly installed Windows fax driver should be able to fax anything you can normally print from almost any application program.

Be sure your modem is a fax/data type that will support faxing. Most modems sold within the last few years are this type, but check the info that came with your modem or computer to be sure. If your modem supports faxing and is connected to the phone line, you may not have a fax driver installed. Or it may be improperly installed. To check whether you have a fax driver installed, from the application program where you can see the scanned document, click on Print. In the printer dialog box, click on the down arrow at the end of the Current Printer window. You’ll see a list of the installed printers. If none of these are fax drivers, such as Win Fax, Commfax, Microsoft Fax or similar, then you’ll need to install a fax driver. You can install the Microsoft Fax driver from the original Windows 95/98 discs under the Communications Options. We recommend, however, purchasing and installing a more full-featured, less trouble-prone faxing program such as Win Fax, Win Fax Lite or Total Fax.

Most image editing programs bundled with scanners allow you to export (or save) the images in a variety of formats such as BMP, TIF or JPG. These image or picture files can be opened or inserted into Corel Word Perfect or Microsoft Word and faxed from there. Alternatively, if you want to fax a text document, use the OCR (optical character recognition) program bundled with most scanners to change the image of a document to an editable format that can be opened and edited by a word processor and then faxed from the word processor.

Q: Every time I save a document for the first time in Word Perfect Suite 8, I get a Document Summary dialog box. What is this, and how do I get rid of it? (WH, letter)

A: The reason this dialog box appears is that the Create Document Summary on Save option has been chosen. To prevent this option from appearing, from the Menu Bar select Tools, then Settings from the drop down menu, double click on Summary, and uncheck the "Create summary on save/exit" box.

A document summary provides information about the document, such as who created the document, creation and change dates and a summary of what it contains. This information is often useful in offices and organizations where several people may be editing the same documents.

Q: Is it possible to maintain total anonymity in sending and receiving e-mail? (CB, e-mail)

A: Yes. This is called "re-mailing," and the service is provided by several companies on the Internet. You send and receive your e-mail through an e-mail service, which masks the sender’s real address and/or address of any replies as well. Some companies provide this service for a fee, some for free (but free on the Internet may mean you provide demographic data and find yourself on yet another set of mailing lists). Links to several companies that provide this service can be found at: www.thefreesite.com/anonymous.htm. For a discussion of re-mailing go to: www.andrebacard.com/remail.htm.

From The Mail Bag #32

April 17, 2000

Q: I want to get an accent mark to print out over the "e" as in Ole. How do I do that? (RC, phone message)

A: You didn’t say which word processor you were using, but the way to add accent marks and use many other special characters is similar in both Corel WordPerfect and Microsoft Word: place the cursor at the point you want to insert the "e" with the accent mark. Then from the menu bar (the bar near the top of the screen with File, Edit, etc on it), select Insert > Symbol. In WordPerfect, in the Set pull-down menu select Multinational. Select the appropriate "e" from the table and Insert or Insert and Close. In Word, after selecting Insert > Symbol, click the Symbol tab, select the font that you’re using from the font pull-down menu, scroll to find the appropriate accented letter and highlight it. Then select Insert. Not all font sets have these accented letters, so choose a font for your document that does. Times New Roman font does have these accented letters.

If you use these special characters often, you may want to create a shortcut key, use Quick Correct or Auto Correct, or re-map your keyboard to have the characters readily available. Check the program’s on-line help for details.

Q: My computer keeps losing time. What’s going on and how can I fix it? (RR, phone message)

A: There are two time-of-day clocks in IBM compatible computers: a hardware clock on the motherboard, and a software clock. The hardware clock is kept running by its own battery, whether or not the computer is turned on. The software clock stops when you shut off the computer and is reset from the hardware clock when you turn your computer back on. The hardware clock relies on a quartz crystal for its time-keeping and by itself is usually pretty accurate. But since it is under control of the BIOS (basic input output system), it can be reset by vagaries of the BIOS. The software clock, once initially set at computer startup by the ha