One of the really nice improvements Windows Vista makes is the addition of the Search Bar to the Start Menu. This allows you to easily locate any program installed on your system by simply typing a few letters. A tool which enhances this functionality which you might find useful is Start++. There is a nice page here which gives a description of what Start++ does...

I’m an AIM guy. In fact I use the very-very current AIM 7 Beta 3, which I’ve found works great so far. The service does what I want it to do and it’s a reliable network. But I have read on more than one occasion that Windows Live (formerly MSN) is the most-used IM on the planet – maybe. The Big Question to you, the reader: What IM do you...

If you use Crap Cleaner (CCleaner) to help keep your Windows installation tidy, a useful trick to know is it offers the ability to run automatically via a scheduled task. To do this, you simply need to take advantage of the built in command line parameters (the /AUTO switch is what you want). For example, to have CCleaner run using your saved preferences, just...

Most of us remember when the Clinton administration went after Microsoft in an aggressive anti-trust case. In 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice filed legal action against Microsoft alleging it was a monopoly that abused it’s market power in the PC market. The chief complaint had to do with Microsoft bundling Internet Explorer with Windows and restricting...

I’ve been in the self-publishing game for a few years now and can honestly say it’s come a long way, with the biggest advantage being that you can now get your book(s) on Amazon without the need for an ISBN. The two major players for those who want to self-publish are Lulu and CreateSpace. Both of them are fairly straightforward in the way they...

For those who remember installing Internet Explorer either an an upgrade or fresh install, the process was specifically tailored to replace your default browser settings when electing to use the "Express" installation method. This is no longer the case. This comes shortly after it was announced that Windows 7 upgrade for UK users would not come with...

Pretty much every current browser out there has the ability to save your user name and password information on different sites and then fill them in when you visit later. While this function is incredibly useful and convenient, it is important to remember it is not a substitution for a password manager. Since this information is stored in your browser, it lives...

If you own a domain name (or several) which you depend on, go ahead and lock them down for the long term by renewing your registration for several (i.e. 5 or more) years. The cost, typically, is relatively minimal and you insure your domain ownership will not lapse. If you operate a business, having your domain name lapse is disastrous. Not only do you lose your...

One of the more useful functions of any email client is the ability to search your sent and received items to quickly find information on any correspondence. While just about every email client implements this feature, the speed of your searches can vary drastically. One email client which focuses on search speed and depth is Postbox. Postbox works behind the...

In more proof that government is full of garbage decision making, we got a real gem from the U.S. State Department. At a townhall meeting conducted by Hillary Clinton, an employee asked a seemingly simple question: Why aren’t we allowed to use Firefox? Like many other dinosaur-era enterprises, where Internet Explorer is forced down your throat because of...

The most-used browser on the internet is still Internet Explorer. It surprises me how many people do not know how to make basic customizations to this browser. This video will show you how to do it. You may learn a few things you didn’t know about the browser before. See video...

How are pre-order sales of Windows 7 doing in the UK? Very well. However there are two major differences compared to the US version. First, it is required to have a clean install. For most people this means the drive must be wiped in order to use it to get rid of the old Windows (Vista or XP). Second, there is no Internet Explorer in the UK version. This is...

Gmail users may have noticed a new link on their left side navigation bar titled ‘Tasks’. This new function is a simple To Do List. You can read about all the features and shortcuts here, but it doesn’t really offer anything exciting outside of its native integration into Gmail and Google Calendar. Many of you may already be using Remember The...

Whenever a platform is widely used, it is a big target for attacks. Take Windows, it is by far the most widely used OS so it makes sense there are more attacks on it than anything else. The same holds true for browsers and web platforms. So for those of you who use the popular WordPress platform for your blog, security should be a consideration. To help with...

If you’ve bought enough computers over the years, chances are you’ve had at least a few of them that dropped in value so fast it made your head spin. Before listing the worst, the best concerning resale value has always been laptops. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Lenovo, Macbook, Dell Inspiron or what-have-you. The laptop will always retain...

Steam is freely available distribution software that allows you to try or buy games. I’ve been a user of Steam for several years and it has proven itself to be a stable platform. A lot of us remember games that were really good but unfortunately will not install properly (much less play) on modern versions of Windows. One solution to this is to have the...

If you are tired of the ‘same old – same old’ music you hear on the radio and are looking for something new, finding sites which cater to budding musicians is an excellent place to look. I used to be a huge fan of mp3.com about 10 years ago (before commercial music took it over) as it was a great place to find good quality amateur music. A...

Certain commands in Windows Vista and 7 require “elevation” in order to execute. For example, if you run NETSTAT -B, a notice will appear that states: The requested operation requires elevation. What does this mean exactly? It’s means you need additional permission(s) to execute the operation. This is done by executing a Command Prompt as...

If you make use of Outlook’s contact management functionality, over time you may accumulate duplicate entries as you sync with your mobile device, contacts move companies, additional data is imported or [insert reason here]. If this is the case and you are looking for a tool to help remove the duplicates then check out Contacts Scrubber for...

AIM is the primary instant messenger I use. Out of all the IM services I’ve used over the years, it is the most reliable. In addition, it runs flawlessly on any operating system. Whether you’re on Windows, Mac or Linux, you can run AIM. The latest client offering on the Windows platform is AIM 7 Beta 2. Short review: It’s awesome. If you use...