Computer and Web Articles

1. http://tinyurl.com/clrnfw - Do you use Adwords to promote your website on Google? Take a look at this. It’s a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ROI calculator.
2. www.scraphd.com – An easy to use online scrapbook builder. Upload photos from your computer (or photo storage site like Picassa), share your scrapbook on Facebook or in your blog, and (coming soon) have your entire scrapbook–as well as cards and announcements—professionally printed. $9.99/month or $99/year.
3. http://tinyurl.com/2dm6ntl - Should you install optional Windows driver updates?
4. http://vimeo.com/11435503, http://vimeo.com/11647540, and http://vimeo.com/12200776 - “The Greek Crisis Explained.” Yes, here we have 3 short (~1 minute) mini videos filled with super-fantastic animation and a fun background soundtrack, music, and sound effects. Enjoy the awesome animation and get yourself up to speed on the Greek crisis at the same time.
5. http://tinyurl.com/283dsyy - The technology of the future keeps on arriving! Here we have touchscreen vending machines, likely coming to a shopping mall near you in the not-too-distant future…

Just about all major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) allow you to drop a UPS tracking number into their search boxes. Hit enter and the search results will give you a direct link to your tracking page. I’ve always found this functionality rather convenient.

A month ago I shared with you how easy it is to determine what browser and browser version you use.

Today I’m admitting there’s actually a much easier way to locate this information (as well as some important related details).

That’s right. The next time someone asks you for any of the following:

1. your browser
2. your browser version
3. your operating system
4. your IP address
5. your user agent string

…don’t fret. Just visit www.thismachine.info. The moment you arrive you’ll find all the above-listed information displayed on your screen. It’s like your little private cheat sheet.

Go ahead and bookmark this page so that the next time tech support/your webmaster/that warranty card asks you for any of the above-listed details, you won’t feel like a deer in the headlights; you’ll instead be able to provide an accurate answer with ease.

After last week’s Q&A on web browsers ran, I received an email from Kilburn Hall here in Frisco pointing out a couple of (really great) points worth sharing.

Point #1
First, Kilburn pointed out I had failed to mention his favorite web browser: Flock.

Flock is a sort of … suped-up social web browser that’s powered by the same technology as Firefox.

Flock comes chock-full of social tools designed to help you manage your social media accounts, keep track of your friends, and stay updated on important news and communications. We’re talking built-in, easy-to-use blog editor. Built-in RSS reader. Capability to drag-and-drop images and links right into outgoing tweets. Built-in “you have new mail in your webmail account” notifier. We’re talking about a browser that simplifies:

• the management of your Twitter and Facebook accounts
• the maintenance of your WordPress, Blogger, or Typepad blog
• the tracking and sharing of your photos
• making the most of your Favorites
• checking in on what your friends are up to

Flock offers little to people who go online to, say…simply check their email, read the morning news, or buy an occasional book. But for the all-day emailers, bloggers, and regular users of Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr, Flock offers a world of coolness.

Sound good? Learn more about Flock right here: www.Flock.com.

Point #2
Kilburn Hall also wrote, “And a additional glaring error- Google Chrome does not work on operating systems 10.5 or below. Nor does Internet 8.”

Though I never stated that Google Chrome or Internet Explorer 8 ran on Mac OS 10.5 or below,
Kilburn touches upon an unfortunate fact: rarely do space constraints allow me to list all the many compatibility details associated with the programs, plugins, browsers, and accessories I mention in my articles.

Though I mention and discuss various products and programs here in this article, please know I can’t make recommendations and suggestions that work for everyone. We all have different computers and unique combinations of operating systems, programs, monitors, settings, and configurations. We all use our computers and the web in different ways and have different personal preferences. If I ever mention something that sounds appealing to you, please take a bit of time to learn more about it and find out if it will be compatible with your computer, your Operating System, your programs, and the way you use technology.

I would love to provide customized information and list all the compatibility allowances and restraints for everything I mention in this article. However, I have this crazy hunch that no matter how politely I asked, the editors here at the Summit Daily would never concede to giving me the necessary number of pages it would take for me to do so.  

Question:
There are so many internet browsers these days (google chrome, mozilla, firefox, internet explorer, yahoo) - how should I determine which browser I should be using? Is there one that supports more advanced websites better? Is there one that prevails as far as security features and protecting my computer?
- Christine Spiller, Silverthorne CO

Answer:
Before I answer your question, allow me to first quickly clear up a couple points:

1. I’ve not heard mention of a Yahoo! browser for at least half a decade now, so I don’t think you need to worry about that one.
2. Mozilla is actually not a browser. It’s an organization, a brand. We’ve got Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Google’s Chrome, and Mozilla’s Firefox. (Though Mozilla offers other browsing applications, its most popular and well-known browser is Firefox.)

Now. Back to your question. How to determine which browser to use… sigh. I truly wish I had an great answer for you. Unfortunately, this question is almost like asking “With which political party should I align myself?” You’ll get folks from the various parties voicing their (strong) opinions and, before you know it, things get ugly and everyone is shouting profanities at one another.

Which browser is the most secure? Some people will tell you Opera is the most secure browser: http://tinyurl.com/2ecdsya. Others will insist the answer is Chrome: http://tinyurl.com/28m2sec. Still others will swear that Internet Explorer 8 is the most secure: http://tinyurl.com/ybfamy7 (yet it appears many of these folks are pointing to Microsoft-sponsored research studies as proof…)

Personally, I prefer Chrome for the majority of my web browsing as I find it to be the quickest to load and respond. I use Internet Explorer 8 when I visit certain Microsoft-related sites (such as the Windows Updates section of the Microsoft site) or the occasional site that seems to have been built with no browser but IE8 in mind. Sometimes I use Firefox—occasionally out of habit, occasionally because of an extension I like. Though I’m not a Mac person, I do run Safari on one of my computers so I can ensure that the websites my company builds look great in that browser as well.

Just a couple months ago there was a really great blog post over at Lifehacker discussing the usage of Chrome vs. Firefox. I encourage you to take a look: http://tinyurl.com/y9pp5ag.

I know I didn’t provide you with a fantastic response here, but there truly is no definitive answer.

Nonetheless, there are two browser-related recommendations I will categorically make:

1. Don’t use AOL. Just … don’t. If you’re using it, stop. Use something else.
2. Whatever browser you use, make sure you’re using the most up-to-date (but not beta) version. Internet Explorer 8 may work for you, but using Internet Explorer 6 will likely keep you from experiencing the web as you should. (Please, please upgrade if you’re using Internet Explorer 6. If you’re not sure what browser version you’re using, read last week’s article. If you’re not sure how to find last week’s article, visit my article archive at www.ComputerAndWebArticles.com.)

I’m sure you’re well aware of the fact that sometimes, when using the web . . . things just don’t go exactly as planned.

You hit a “Buy Now” button but the wrong product shows up in your shopping cart. You click a Log In button and … nothing happens at all. You arrive at a website only to find you can’t read half the text because it’s covered by photos or ads.

These things happen. And when they do, we call tech support. We call our cousin the web expert. We email the owner of the problematic site.

More often than not, the person we contact will at some point ask, “What browser are you using? And what browser version do you have?” Knowing which browser you were using at the time of the problem is often vital in helping others troubleshoot your issues; this is why replying with, “I don’t know” only delays a resolution and irritates the person trying to help you.

(Quick refresher for those of you scratching your head right now: Your browser is simply the program you use to surf the web. You’ll also hear browsers referred to as web browsers—they’re the same thing. Common browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Opera.)

So. Back to identifying your browser: This page should, in matter of seconds, help you visually identify which browser you use: http://tinyurl.com/28aog75

If you’re feeling adventurous and would like to take things a step further by determining not only which browser you use, but which browser version you use, go ahead and fire up your browser, click the “Help” menu item at the top of your screen, and choose the “About (xyz your browser name here)” option. You should now see a little window displaying your browser’s name and version number on it.

I’m glad you took the time to learn this information. It’s extremely likely that your newfound knowledge will come in handy in the future.

1. www.cupidtino.com - Coming June 2010: a new dating site specifically created for fans of Apple products. Must use Safari, an iPhone, or an iPad to access the site after the big launch. I’m not kidding. I’m being serious here.
2. http://tinyurl.com/2cy4mw7 - Learn how to remove those annoying, stubborn documents that get stuck in your printer’s queue.
3. http://tinyurl.com/28v4eod - Did you know that Facebook recently launched a new, simpler version of Facebook events?
4. http://vimeo.com/8699092 - “Underfull” is a tablecloth that actually turns spilling . . . into poetry. (It’s currently in prototype phase, but still quite a neat concept.)
5. http://tinyurl.com/ouyc8c - Helpful article sharing tips on writing effective business press releases in the age of Twitter.

1. www.cupidtino.com - Coming June 2010: a new dating site specifically created for fans of Apple products. Must use Safari, an iPhone, or an iPad to access the site after the big launch. I’m not kidding. Seriously.
2. http://tinyurl.com/2cy4mw7 - Learn how to remove a document stuck in your printer’s queue.
3. http://tinyurl.com/28v4eod - Did you know? Facebook recently launched a new, simpler version of Facebook events.
4. http://vimeo.com/8699092 - “Underfull” is a tablecloth that actually turns spilling . . . into poetry. (It’s currently in prototype phase, but still quite a neat concept.)
5. http://tinyurl.com/ouyc8c - Helpful article sharing tips on writing effective press releases in the age of Twitter.

You want a free website for your business, right?

Of course you do.

I’ve mentioned a few options in the past, but if those haven’t tickled your fancy, consider heading over to www.Yola.com. Great looking websites. Easy to use tools. Free with optional upgrades. Check it out.