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GeekBytes is my jargon for tips on how to use your computer. Whether it be how to do something, improve performance, or just a nifty setting that will make your life easier, you'll find it in a GeekByte post. This is my first for Technobabbles. Enjoy!
Tired of that annoying message when you're browsing the internet that says "A runtime error has occurred. Do you wish to debug?" Or how about "Internet Explorer Script Error. An error has occurred in the script on line 1. Do you wish to continue running scripts on this page?" Sound familiar? Well, there's a simple way to end the script misery.
Simply open Internet Explorer and click on the Tools menu. Choose Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab (the last one in that box) and put a check in the box next to "Disable Script Debugging (Internet Explorer)." If you also have “Disable Script Debugging (Other)” place a check in this box also. Also, make sure the box next to "Display a notification about every script error" is unchecked. Click OK for the changes to take effect.
I had to giggle a little at the guy who was sentenced to use Windows for his operating system after uploading Star Wars Episode III on BitTorrent. (As if the movie industry isn't making enough off that movie as it is.) The reasoning behind the OS switch is that as part of the punishment he needed to have internet monitoring software installed on his computer. The catch is that the monitoring software only runs on Windows. Now, the story itself really isn't all that funny to cause the giggling, but I know a few people who are so into Linux that their stomach’s would turn at the thought of using Windows. I can imagine this guy isn’t any happier. On top of having his internet connection monitored he also has to wear an ankle bracelet until around Christmas of this year. The lesson here...don't give into the dark side.
If you’re looking for an antivirus for your home, look no further. AVG is a free – yes, free – antivirus that you can download from Grisoft. I’m running it at home and I like it. I’ve had it installed on Windows XP and currently on Windows Vista. The nice thing about it is that it doesn’t install all that extra fluff that slows down your system like the Symantec and McAfee antivirus programs do. That’s mainly my biggest gripe about the two aforementioned products. With AVG, you just install it and it pretty much takes care of itself without slowing you down.
AVG comes with automatic updates that are relatively tiny since it doesn’t take long to get the updates even on dial-up. You can schedule the updates to occur between certain times of the day, and if you aren’t online at the time it is scheduled, it will update the next time you are online or at the next scheduled time, whichever comes first. A window will open to show you the progress of the update, which is handy if you are sitting at your computer so you know the thing is updating. I have noticed that on Vista this window doesn’t display. But Vista will tell you that a program is trying to display a window and you can choose to view the window if you want. The updates still work correctly though. I would imagine they would fix this with an update or new release. I can’t complain at all about this little freebie.
**TIP**
Even if you don’t have AVG installed for your antivirus, you always want to make sure and set up those automatic updates. If you don’t update your antivirus you are prone to getting the newest viruses out there. So check on your DAT file date every now and then and make sure you have the latest one. I’ve seen a lot of people get a virus just simply from not keeping their antivirus software up to date.
I’m always looking for ways to get high-speed internet where I live for a reasonable price. I haven’t found that perfect combination just yet. However, early 2009 might just be the date for me to look forward to. Microsoft, Intel, and other companies are pushing the FCC to allow them to use unused TV airwaves to offer internet to consumers…consumers like me who live in the middle of nowhere. The unused airwaves would be from the remaining airwaves due to the switch to digital broadcasting that TV stations will be doing in 2009. The FCC is currently working on standards for the devices that would use those airwaves and should be finished around October of this year. Hopefully the price would be right and I can finally join the modern world of high-speed surfing.
Word is out that Microsoft is going to make some changes to Hotmail. The storage will increase from 2 GB to 4 GB for the free version and from 5 GB to 10 GB for the paid version. I joined up with Google Mail a few years ago because they offered a lot of storage (2.6 GB currently). Not that I use that much but it is nice to know that I have it if I need it. I can think of a few people who will use every bit of that new 4 GB or 10 GB that Microsoft is offering. I mean, think about it. Four GIGS of email. Wow. That’s a lot to keep up with. In today’s age, you can never have too much storage.
The ribbon. Reminds me of the Nexus on Star Trek Generations. The ribbon in the new Office 2007 isn’t quite as cool as the one on Star Trek, but it’s a big improvement over the old interface. I tried the new Office 2007 suite several months ago as a trial download and fell in love with it. I have a licensed copy now and I wouldn’t go back for anything. Some people say that it doesn’t offer anything new. Oh, but it does. The interface alone is easier to work with than the previous version. You will have a learning curve since everything is in a different spot than the previous versions, but it’s worth it. I like how it dynamically changes to fit what you are doing. Typing text? Then you have the ribbon with the text functions. Working with a picture? The ribbon changes to the picture ribbon. Instead of hunting through menus you have your functions at your fingertips…er, mousetips. You can even preview what something will look like in your document before you actually choose that setting. For instance, if you want to insert a table you can choose from a variety of preconfigured visual designs. By hovering over the design, the table will dynamically change in your document. It won’t become permanent until you actually click on the design. There is also a free add-in available from the MS website that will allow you to save your documents as PDF’s. How handy is that?!
Some people I’ve talked to don’t like the change. We’d still be stuck in the DOS days if someone hadn’t decided to change interfaces. Besides that without change life would be boring. :) I know users don’t like their world turned upside down when they finally got the hang of something, but change can be good. So get used to it…the ribbon will be the next step in interfaces for MS Office. It won’t hold you in a moment in time like the Nexus, but it will make your life a bit easier.
To try a free trial of the Office 2007 suite, click here.
So I read that Google is throwing around the idea of offering free cell phone service to users. Nothing is set in stone yet, but the concept is kind of cool. You would have to put up with some ads, but if you were tight on cash or if you wanted a cell phone for emergencies, this could be a great thing for you. If I could get them to offer free wireless internet where I live I would certainly sign up (alas, I am still in the dial-up world – the boonies will do that to you). I’d even deal with the ads if it meant I could go faster than 28 kbps. :)
