General Blogs

from CaptainPC - We shared in an earlier blog titled “MS Office 2007 Menu Add-In”, how to add drop down menus to your Office 2007 installation so you can ease into the new ribbon menu system. Today we will look at how to change the default file type to one that is compatible to earlier versions of Microsoft Office. There are still many people who use Office...

from CaptainPC - Jump Lists are a handy new feature in Windows 7. Jump Lists are designed to provide users with easy access to the files associated with an application. The Taskbar in Windows 7 replaces the Quick Launch bar in previous Windows versions (the Quick Launch bar is not gone, but is hidden), and besides providing an icon that serves as a program...

from CaptainPC - There are some simple measures we can all take when we interact with e-mail that will greatly enhance the security of our computers. The following is by no means an exhaustive listing, but just a basic starting point. Hopefully those of you that utilize other practices will add to this discussion for all our benefit. First, use a local e-mail...

from CaptainPC - One of the constants of personal computing, as in life, is that change happens. Whether we like the changes or not, we all have to deal with them. I remember experiencing my first personal computer back in 1982. It was a Timex Sinclair computer, a tiny 12" x 5" x 1 1/4" (approximate measurements) gray case with little rubber keys. I was...

from CaptainPC - IBM has just come out with their updated IBM Lotus Symphony Beta 2 office suite. If you have been around long enough to remember Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, this suite includes a spreadsheet program that is a descendant of that venerable spreadsheet software. Lotus 1-2-3 was the most widely used business spreadsheet before Microsoft Office for Windows...

from CaptainPC - Apple QuickTime and iTunes are real resource hogs on a Windows PC. If gobbling up precious PC resources is not bad enough, malware authors also heavily target them. It is imperative to get the latest versions of these two popular programs to secure the integrity of your computer. Constantly updating vulnerable software is highly encouraged by...

from CaptainPC - Maintaining a clean computer is a real challenge these days. In principle, it is much better to keep junk off your computer than it is to remove it after it has a foothold. While we may not be able to close all doors to malware at all times (these days you can be infected just by going to a known safe site that has recently been compromised),...

from CaptainPC - Mozilla released their newest Firefox browser today. Firefox 3.6 claims performance improvements over version 3.5, better security, and skins called “Personas”. If Firefox is your preferred browser, then click on your Firefox ‘Help’ menu and choose ‘Check for updates,’ follow the prompts and you will be rewarded with the new version in nothing...

from CaptainPC - Your new Windows 7 computer may or may not have come with a repair or system recovery DVD, but Windows 7 makes it easy to make one yourself. However, the key is to already have one on hand before a repair situation arises. Place a blank CD or DVD into your optical burner, then click your “Start” button, type “repair” in the search field, and...

from CaptainPC - There has been a lot of question concerning the viability of desktop computers in tomorrow's computer universe. Desktops have long been a mainstay of PC proliferation. I remember the early and mid nineties when buying a powerful desktop was a thrill. There appeared to be no limit to what you could do on them. During that time I held a job...

from CaptainPC - TechRepublic.com is a great resource for learning more about computer topics. Among the many informative articles is a piece by Deb Shinder titled “10 Email Scam To Watch Out For.” Ms. Shinder takes us on a journey through ten scams that are currently popular. She identifies each scam, including how to read the clues that identify it as a scam....

from CaptainPC - Watch out for any email coming your way informing you that your antivirus app has expired and urgently recommends that you download “Antivirus 2010” to maintain your protection. Be advised that this is a rogue application that will royally screw up your PC. The email will specifically mention “Antivirus 2010” and should not be confused with...

from CaptainPC - Well, I did it. I returned my new Mac Mini to Best Buy and exchanged it for another computer. And no it was not exchanged for a Windows PC (already have that), and I did not return the Mac because it was an object of disappointment. Quite the contrary, I was so pleased with it that I just had to step up to the iMac. Some might question, “I thought...

from CaptainPC - As a long time (many times frustrated as well as delighted) Windows user, there have been abundant occasions to read or listen to comments espousing the many ecstasies in the Mac universe of computing. In almost all blogs I have read concerning Windows computing, in the midst of comments made in the ‘talk backs’ or ‘replies’ concerning the subject...

from CaptainPC - Microsoft announced on July 22 that the Windows 7 official ‘RTM’ (Release To Manufacturing) was complete and would be sent to their manufacturing partners within the next few days. There is much excitement concerning the October 22 release of Windows 7, especially now that RTM has become a reality. For the first time in several years, it appears...