Computer and Web Articles

I’ve been asked a couple questions recently that I actually answered in two separate articles in the past. Here are reprints of these two questions along with their answers (tweaked just a little bit) that still hold true years later.

Question #1: I fill out quite a few online forms. It’s very annoying when there are many fields in these forms and once I type in my answer, I have to click my mouse to move to the next field. Is there a more efficient method of completing online forms that I’m not aware of? And while I’m asking about online forms, is there any difference between the square checkboxes and the circular buttons I can click on in these forms??

Answer: It’s actually very easy to move from field to field in online forms without having to use your mouse. The secret weapon? The “TAB” button on your keyboard.

Let’s say the first field of the form I’m filling is “FIRST NAME.” I type in the letters e-r-i-n. Then, instead of reaching for my mouse and clicking in the next field (most likely “LAST NAME”), I simply reach my left pinky finger up a bit and press down on the TAB key. And voila, the cursor is now blinking and patiently waiting inside the “LAST NAME” field, waiting for me to type in my information.

As a bonus, I’ll let you know a little secret about checkboxes as well. You can “TAB” from one checkbox to the next, and when you want to check/select a checkbox, simply hit the spacebar on your keyboard. The same tip works for radio buttons (the official name of those little circles you asked about).

Now let’s move on to an explanation of the difference between the checkboxes and radio buttons. When you see a list of options next to checkboxes, it means you can select more than one of those options. When you see a list of options next to radio buttons, it means you can select only one option.

I’ll put this explanation into an example. Let’s say you come across a question in an online form asking you which days of the week you prefer going to the gym. There will probably be a list of all the days of the week sitting next to some checkboxes, and you’ll be allowed to select whichever (and as many) checkboxes you wish.

On the other hand, you may come across a question in an online form asking you to select your favorite type of ice cream. Next to each option you see an empty circle (these are the radio buttons we’ve been talking about). Since this question uses radio buttons, you can select only one flavor of ice cream as your favorite. If you’re in a fickle mood and mark the radio button next to Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip–but then change your mind and mark the radio button next to Strawberry Decadence, the first radio button will deselect (become empty) as you can only have one radio button selected at a time.

It’s a good thing you don’t have to remember this; the forms handle it all for you; I just wanted to make sure you understood the difference.

Question #2: I have an absolutely filthy mouse that’s starting to “stick,” and I’m not sure as to how I should go about cleaning it up. Any pointers?

Answer: Cleaning your mouse is super simple. Just remember: DO NOT use any harsh or abrasive chemicals on during the cleaning process.

First rotate the ball container (sometimes known as the “locking ring”) to open up the mouse. Then place the ball onto a cleaning cloth and wipe it off, gently removing grime and dirt. A solution of 80% water and 20% alcohol works just fine.

Then use your fingernails to scrape the rollers inside the mouse to remove buildup—but be careful not to bend any of them. Then just pop the ball back into the mouse, screw the cover up, wipe down the top of your mouse, and you’re done.

QUESTION: I’m not really sure how to get the most out of my LinkedIn account. Any suggestions?
- Lynn, Breckenridge

ANSWER: Well, it depends on what, exactly, you’re trying to achieve by having a LinkedIn account in the first place. Though I’m not aware of your goals, I can still point you in the direction of a great slideshow. (Tip: It’s easier to download it and view it on your computer than it is to try and zoom in and read its content in the little slideshow viewer on the website; you’ll need to create a free account to do this, though.)

Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/yh7jobv.

QUESTION:
Thanks for the previous Windows XP tip to kill indexing and Messenger. Can I do the same in Vista too?
– Pat Tormey, Silverthorne, Colorado

ANSWER:
Yes, you sure can. Here are the steps you need to take for each task.

————————————-

Turning Off Indexing in Vista:

1. Click Start, then Control Panel
2. Click System and Maintenance, then Administrative Tools, then double click Services
3. Locate the service named Windows Search, then right-click it and select Properties from the menu that pops open.
4. Click Stop
5. Now, in the Startup Type drop-down box, choose Disabled
6. Click OK

Turning Off Messenger in Vista:

1. Click Start, then Control Panel, then Uninstall a Program (under Programs)
2. Click MSN Messenger
3. Click Uninstall from the list of options in the new window
4. Click Yes, then wait until the process is done
5. Restart your computer

Question:
When you use Gmail, what do you use for your antivirus software?

Answer:
Actually, I don’t use Gmail—but I’d still be delighted to answer this question for you…

Gmail scans each email and attachment for you when it first arrives in your inbox; it also performs another scan on each email you open, and yet another scan on each attachment you send out.

While this anti-virus prevention through constant scanning is wonderful and convenient, it doesn’t exempt you from keeping an anti-virus program on your computer. Learn why (and learn more about Gmail’s anti-virus scanning) at http://tinyurl.com/yzg32bh.

Question:
I’d like to be able to listen to new music that I like for free without having to use iTunes. I’ve heard there are sites out there that play music based on what you tell them you like to listen to. Do you know of any sites like this?

Answer:
Sure. There are indeed quite a few sites out there that offer customized-just-for-your playlists that allow you to listen to, rate, and purchase new music based on your existing musical preferences. My personal favorite is Pandora (www.pandora.com). Just pop in the name of an artist or band you enjoy, turn your speakers up, and leave the rest to Pandora. And yep, it’s free.

Question: Dear Erin, You recently wrote about how to send text messages to cell phones from a computer. I’m hoping you can help with something kind of related that I’m experiencing. It’s cell phone spam and I don’t have any clue how to stop it so I was wondering if there’s a cell phone spam blocker or something like that I can use or maybe some other tool like that out there? Please help!!!!!!!!! — Cindy (from Dillon, Colorado)

Answer: I actually experienced the same problem of too much cell phone text spam myself at one point, so I understand your frustration. Cell phone spam is even worse than email spam because you can’t just install a spam-blocker into your phone *and* you have to pay when you receive the spam! Booooooo.

Instead of rewriting the explanation of how you can go about decreasing the amount of spam you receive on your cell phone, I’m going to recommend you have a look at this great post in the New York Times: http://tinyurl.com/5cauyq. This should help a ton. Good luck!

Question: I was wondering if you knew of a way I could send text messages to my friends when I’m on my computer? I figured there had to be a way to do it but I haven’t been able to figure it out. Can you help? (And I would prefer the cost to be free.)

Answer: I can help. The solution is www.sendafreesms.com – free, spam-free text messaging direct from your computer.

A few things to keep in mind when using this service:

1. You must know the carrier of your friend’s cell phone in order to successfully send a message.
2. Don’t forget to enter in the phone number as numbers only (no dashes, spaces, etc.)
3. Prior to sending your message, you’ll be asked to enter a pin number. You can find this pin number at the top of the form (the pin number changes from day to day).
4. If you submit your information and it goes through successfully, you’ll see a “Message Sent” confirmation. If you don’t see this confirmation, it means there was an error in one of the fields you filled out, so try again.

Question: Hi Erin. In a recent article you mentioned the VLC DVD player… I just had a quick question for you about that. Does it rip a DVD if the DVD is protected? I just tried to rip one with Roxio and the message came up that it was protected. – Barb W.

Answer: In cases such as these, you’ll actually need to remove the protection from the DVD before you’ll be able to successfully rip it; luckily it’s not a difficult thing to do. In fact, just Googling “remove DVD protection” will provide you with a plethora of options.

Some DVD protection-removal programs are free, others are not; I recommend comparing some of the various programs out there to determine which would best take care of your needs.

Specifically, a few popular programs that could assist you are:

1. http://www.slysoft.com/en/download.html
2. http://www.qweas.com/download/video_dvd/dvd_backup/clone_dvd.htm
3. http://www.dvdfab.com/dvd-fab-platinum.htm

Question: I’m having a hard time understanding the difference between my computer’s “Hibernate” and “System Standy” energy-saver options. Can you please help me out?? -Andrea, Breckenridge

Answer: Sure thing, I’d be happy to help. Hibernate and Standby are different sleep options found on computers with Windows XP. People can set their computers so that after a determined amount of idle-time, the computer enters one of these energy-saving modes.

A computer entering Hibernate mode saves an image of your desktop (including open files and windows), then powers down your computer–just as if you’d shut if off. When you turn your computer on again, however, you don’t need to wait for your computer to run through its standard (and often lengthy) startup process; instead, your windows and files are open just as you left them.

When a computer enters Standby mode, the power to your computer’s “non-critical systems,” such as the hard drive, monitor, fans, and peripheral devices (mouse, printer, etc.) gets cut. Power to your computer’s memory (RAM) is not shut off, though, so you’re essentially running your machine in a very looooooow power mode – and your computer *is* still on.

A computer in Standby mode will wake upon mouse, keyboard, or other peripheral activity whereas a computer in Hibernation mode requires a push of the power button. Computers in Standby mode also wake and restore more quickly than those in Hibernation. On the other hand, if there’s a power outage, unsaved files on the Standby machine could potentially be lost or corrupted, whereas files on the Hibernate machine would be saved.