Web Browsers

Free Trial of GoToMeeting – Conduct Online Meetings

By terry Leave a Comment

GoToMeeting: The Next Generation in Online Meetings Has Arrived – Try it FREE today.

GoToMeeting is the easiest and most cost-effective way to organize and attend secure online meetings. Sign up for a free trial today with no obligation to buy. Host meetings on-the-fly with sales prospects, perform live demos in real-time to multiple customers or collaborate on projects with your colleagues. You’ll be able to host unlimited online meetings – with up to 10 attendees per meeting!

>>>>> Sales Demonstrations: Give spontaneous demonstrations during sales calls.

>>>>> Presentations: Conduct presentations as if you were in the same room with your attendees.

>>>>> Collaboration: Boost productivity by collaborating with colleagues in real-time.

>>>>> Training: Save the hassle and expense of travel by conducting live training sessions with GoToMeeting.

Find out for yourself how GoToMeeting can change the way you do business.

Try it today, absolutely FREE.

Filed Under: Broadband, Free Trials, Office, Sales, Specials, Web Browsers

Internet Speed Tests

By terry Leave a Comment

I received an email recently from PC Pitstop (I bought a license for PC Pitstop’s Optimize 2.0) announcing their new version Internet speed test.

That got me thinking about the variations in connection speed that I’ve seen over the years — over days and even between sites.

Typically, the closer the bandwidth-measuring site is to you, the higher the results you will get for download speed and upload speed.

But, sometimes, the closest site isn’t the fastest. It all depends on the congestion on the net…

Continue reading Internet Speed Tests

Filed Under: HowTo, Networking, Speed-up, Terry's Computer Tips, Web Browsers, Web Sites, Windows XP

Speeding Up the Windows Boot Process

By terry Leave a Comment

I recently made some boot changes to a notebook computer that resulted in a remarkable increase in the boot speed. The notebook was running Windows XP Home.

It was a small, light Sony — one of the 12-inch monitor models.

Tech Humor
With notebooks, you can get small, light, fast and cheap.
Pick any two…

In this particular case, the notebook took 4.5 minutes to boot, and it’s owner wanted it to be much faster.

I referred to my favorite tool to get his boot process under control …

Continue reading Speeding Up the Windows Boot Process

Filed Under: Anti-Spyware, Internet Explorer, Office Suites, Printing, Software, Updates, Upgrades, Web Browsers

New Articles at Terry’s Computer Tips

By terry Leave a Comment

I write my weekly online and email newsletters. Then, occasionally I get around to converting some of the newsletter articles into web pages.

Google and the other search engines like web pages more than they like online newsletters — the newsletters get indexed fairly quickly, but then get dropped as "old" pretty quickly, too.

Here are the latest editions. I’ll add them to the listing on the front page in a few days…

* Creating a Blog For Family and Friends

Blogs are one of the easiest ways to create a web site. You can do it for free, too…

* Internet Explorer + Outlook Express Problem

Links in Outlook Express don’t work after upgrading to IE7 for some people. The fix is easy…

* Computer Shuts Down By Itself

I’m sure you’ve never had this problem <grin> — if you haven’t, you will…

* Turning Off System Restore

Sometimes we need to turn off System Restore — and not because we want to save disk space…

* I’ve Reconsidered the Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

After Linksys changed the internals on the WRT54G as of version 5, it was a totally different router. After some more changes, it’s better now…

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Anti-virus, Hardware, Internet Explorer, Networking, Outlook Express, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Web Browsers

HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

By terry Leave a Comment

I received an email recently from someone who was having problems with a Windows dialog box. In this particular case, she was trying to put a registration code into software, but the field for the code extended outside the box � and she couldn’t input the whole code.

It really sounds to me like a font-size settings problem in your copy of Windows. Programmers almost often specify the size fo a Windows dialog boxes — but Windows itself lets YOU change the default font size that you use.

As a result, when users make their default Windows fonts larger (their Windows font, not their default web browser font), they can end up moving stuff from the dialog box into the invisible, unusable portion of the dialog box.

Continue Reading HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

Filed Under: Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Web Browsers, Windows Repair, Windows XP

Setting the Default Web Browser

By terry Leave a Comment

In last week’s first article More Internet Explorer 7 Problems Reported, subscriber Valerie Mitchell was having problems with IE7 and one of its setup pages � a page that should only have appeared one time.

This week, she wrote back to say:

I ended up uninstalling IE7 and went back to IE6. But now I keep getting this problem on FireFox and IE6…Everytime I open these browsers or if I click on something in my favorites, I get this message: “This file does not have a program associated with it for perfoming this action. Create an association in Folder Options” It also keeps popping up even as I’m typing this email.
I tried following the instructions to fix this on the MS website, but I just don’t get it. Could you explain it in simpler terms please or your own method of fixing this please. Also, I don’t know how to enable ActiveX. Could you tell me how please?
Many thanx again.
v.mitchell

It sounds like IE7 was your default browser, but that when it uninstalled itself, it didn’t turn IE6 back into the default (perhaps you had Firefox as the default before).

Continue reading Setting the Default Web Browser

Filed Under: Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Web Browsers, Windows XP

The SeaMonkey Internet Suite (Free!)

By terry Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, Netscape was THE Internet web browser — and it was a commercial product. Then, along came the big bad wolf. He dreamed of world (wide web) conquest and so he wrote his own web browser; then, he gave it away with the operating system he sold.

It was bad, but it was free and everyone got it whether they wanted it or not. And, his monopoly grew…

Netscape (the company) eventually sold itself and became a part of AOL, but not before they released a snapshot of the web browser source code to an open source foundation that they created. Thus was born the Mozilla Internet Suite.

Continue reading The SeaMonkey Internet Suite (Free!)

Filed Under: Email, Firefox, Internet Access, Internet Explorer, Security, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows XP

Why I Recommend Firefox…

By terry Leave a Comment

I guess it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten on the Firefox versus Internet Explorer subject in my newsletter. For a while last year, I beat it to death…

But, recently, in responding to a reader’s question, I mentioned that I recommended Firefox over IE for web browsing. His response was “You Do?”

The reason that I recommend Firefox over Internet Explorer boils down to security while web surfing.

First, there’s the ActiveX issue.

ActiveX is a proprietary Microsoft technology that allows a web site to download a program to your computer via Internet Explorer � and to automatically run that program.

While Microsoft uses the innocuous term “ActiveX Control” for the program, you need to understand that this is a full-fledged program that can do anything on your computer — just like any other program can.

Unlike Java and JavaScript, ActiveX doesn’t run with any special security controls. That’s why people like Trend Micro can provide their marvelous online anti-virus scanner HouseCall to get rid of viruses. Windows doesn’t block their “ActiveX Control” from being able to work properly.

Unfortunately, the adware and spyware guys love this same feature — and use it to easily install adware, spyware, or usually “downloaders” (special programs that do nothing but download and install the programs that their masters wish you to run) onto your computer.

Before Windows XP Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer would blithely accept any ActiveX control that a web site wanted to give you.

Continue reading Why I Recommend Firefox…

Filed Under: Firefox, Free, Security, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows XP

GoToMyPC – Remote Access to Your PC – Review

By terry Leave a Comment

As I wrote in one of my weekly newsletters, I’de been trying the 30-day free trial of GoToMyPC. I’m very impressed with this service and its capabilities.

GoToMyPC is designed to allow a PC user to access his computer remotely. This user might be a salesman, a tech support person, a business man who left some files at the office (or at home), a traveler for business or pleasure. Access could be from across town or across the country.

Getting Started With GoToMyPC – 30-day free trial

On the remote PC, the PC that you’re actually using, you use a Java-capable web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc) to access your host computer (your office or home PC). Any web browsers that supports Sun Microsystems’ Java (free, www.java.com) will work, although not all features may be available on some browsers. You can even access and control your Windows PC from a Mac.

Filed Under: Firefox, Free Trials, Internet Explorer, Networking, Opera, Other, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers

Slow-loading Web Browser Links

By terry 1 Comment

One of my forum readers in my Windows XP /2000/etc forum (which are now shut down thanks to too many spam posts) wrote about a problem he was having.

He wrote:

IE6 SP1 browser..links take long time to download

My computer contains: Athlon 3200gb, 1 gig Ram, I have WinXP SP2 Home, and IE 6 SP1. When I click on a link in my OE e-mail, I am immediately taken to the web-site. When on a web-site, and I click on a link within the site, it takes “forever” to download the page….I watch the green progress bar, not much happens. It says “done”, but I still have to wait a long time for the page to download. I click the F5 key to refresh and still it takes a long time for the page to download.

I’ve checked for malware (AdAware, SpyBot, MS anti spyware, CCleaner….none), I ran a system scan for viruses (AVG and then TrendMicro Housecall….no viruses), I cleaned out cache, Temp files and cookies. Nothing helps.

I also ran Start/Run/ sfc /scannow with my original Win XP CD and this didn’t help. I also ran IE Fix…didn’t help.

This problem occurs on e-mails with Links from e.g. PCMag.com; Lockergnome.com; AllExperts.com, etc.

What suggestions can U offer??

I would hate to format/reinstall.

_________________

Irving S.

I wrote back to Irving with a list of suggestions — and his problem was solved.

Read how in Slow-loading Web Browser Links

Filed Under: Firefox, Firewalls, Internet Explorer, Opera, Registry Repair, Speed-up, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows Repair, Windows XP