Network Your Home Computers

Computer Care: Networking your PCs is a snap

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

UPDATED July 18, 2009 12:33 a.m.

Networking your computers can be an asset to your home environment if you have more than one computer. By combining your desktop with your spouse’s laptop and your child’s PC via a home network, there are obvious benefits. All could share one Internet connection, one printer or all have access to many. You would also be able to share files.

Adding wireless to the network could enhance it even more. You would then have the ability to check your e-mail or update your Facebook account from the kitchen table or backyard lounger using a laptop.

Networking has gotten easier since Windows XP and even more so with Vista. With Win 7 coming this fall, it will be even easier still. Not to oversimplify matters, but Windows practically networks for you. The operating systems each have wizards to follow.

Providing you have the proper equipment, you could be up and running in no time. Really.

Assuming you have a broadband connection, DSL or cable, you already have a modem. Some ISPs provide a combination router/modem. If yours is just a modem, then you’ll need a router. This is where you’ll have to decide if you want wired or wireless. Routers start at about $40 and can be purchased at online retailers or locally just about anywhere.

You should have all the cables you need. The router or modem usually ships with both a USB and an Ethernet cable, the one that looks like a fat phone wire. Forget about the USB and use the Ethernet instead. Many people get into trouble thinking both cables need to be used; they don’t.

Depending upon which type of connection you have, you’ll see either a phone wire or a coaxial cable coming from the wall. That’s what you’ll want to connect to the back of your modem. If you have a separate router, use an Ethernet cable from the modem to the router. The router usually has four ports together and one by itself. The one alone is the input, the rest are outputs for a wired network.

Don’t stack the devices if you have two. Keep them at least a foot or more apart as they may cause interference. This is also true of wireless phones on the 2.4 GHz frequency. If you have one on your desk, you may want to find another place for it.

Wireless computing has a range of about 300 feet. It can connect through floors, but you may need to adjust the antennas downward. Metals studs and microwaves may also get in the way. You’ll have to experiment with placement to get an optimum signal.

Should you lose your signal, and you will, you’ll need to reset your modem. Whether it be a thunderstorm or an outage for another reason, rather than call your ISP and wait 45 minutes, do this instead: Unplug both router and modem and wait half a minute. Plug in the modem and wait for the lights to stop flashing, about 15-20 seconds. Then plug the router back in and wait for it to settle down. You should then have your connection back.

Setting up the computers: First you need to make sure all computers involved are called something different and are all in the same workgroup. If you use XP, right-click on My Computer and go to Properties. Under the Computer Name tab, give your system a unique name and click Change to rename the workgroup. Click Apply, OK and reboot.

In Vista, right-click on My Computer and click Properties. Then click on Advanced System Settings on the left, then the Computer Name tab as in XP. Give the computer a unique name and click Change to rename the Workgroup. Agree to everything and reboot.

Next, you’ll need to run the Network Setup Wizard. Depending on what you plan to do, from here on there are options, too many to cover in the constraints of this column. You’ll have to make choices and follow the prompts. They are not difficult; they have explanations and troubleshooters.

Look in Control Panel. From either XP or Vista, click the start button and look on the right column for Control Panel. XP will have both Wireless Setup and Network Setup wizards. Vista has a Network and Sharing Center under Network and Internet. There are various subheadings within that group.

Keep a USB flash drive handy. You’ll need it to save and transfer settings from one computer to the next.

In either OS, whatever it is you want to share is easily done with a right-click. If you want to share the Photos folder for example, right-click on it and choose “Share.” A hand will appear beneath the newly shared folder.

There are lots of other things to cover, including security, but as I mentioned, there’s not enough room here for it all. In a nutshell, don’t ignore it. WEP is good; WPA is better. The system will assist you in choosing. An unsecured system invites hackers and leaves you open to threats.

Worst case scenario, you’ll need to call a local technician. I hear there are a few good ones in town.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Phishing for data

Computer Care: Don’t take the hook with data phishing games

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED July 3, 2009 11:41 p.m.

Phishing is a relatively new term that has roots in its homophone water sport, in that it means one is looking for something that’s not readily available. But as opposed to looking for fish, it is searching online for data: yours.

Those phishing for your information are not phooling around. Unlike its fun counterpart, phishing is not a leisure sport. It’s a full-time business. It employs professional thieves stalking you on the Internet.

The most common phishing trap you could fall for is the e-mail scam. You might get something in your inbox that appears to be from your bank, utility, retailer or credit card company. The ploy is to get you to refresh or confirm your personal information because your account is supposedly being updated or is about to be closed. It preys on your fears and hopes that in your moment of anxiety, you’ll cooperate.

Upon close scrutiny, you can usually tell that these are fraudulent e-mails, but most people are trusting by nature and are tricked into believing they are legitimate. Usually you will not be addressed by your name, but as Client, Patron or Card Holder. The threat may be somewhat vague, yet specific enough to get your attention.

Other e-mails may include a link for you to click on. This will take you to the phisher’s Web site, which may look like those that you do business with, but is not. It will include a blank form with an official-looking header of that company. Any information you type in is then given to the thief, whether it be your account number, password, Social Security number or pin code.

Again, scrutiny will be the tell-all. Look carefully at the web address. It may have your bank’s name in it, but instead of being "www.your-bank.com," it may read something like "www.ag.accounts.your-bank.com."

A good way to tell if a link is legitimate is to hover your mouse over the link. The true destination will appear either in a pop-up or in the browser’s status bar at the bottom of the page.

Alternatively, you may receive an official sounding phone call asking for the same information.

They will be friendly, yet assertive, requesting your personal information. If you didn’t call them, hang up. I guarantee if you ask them for a call-back number, they will hang up on you.

Your bank will tell you that they would never contact you this way. Be aware; be careful; be suspicious. There is a lot at stake: your money or even your identity. If in doubt, call or go to your bank or institution in question.

As always, your best offense is a good defense. Have the proper tools in place and the knowledge of what to do to protect yourself.

Get and use good anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-phishing utilities for your computer and be sure your firewall is in place.

Many companies now have either free downloadable utilities or offer free scans from their Web site. Check out what McAfee has to offer at http://home.mcafee.com/Downloads/FreeScanDownload.aspx?affid=0; McAfee also has a free Site Advisor available that will let you know if the site you are on is legitimate or not.

See what Symantec has at http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/WelcomePage.asp or look at AVG’s LinkScanner at http://linkscanner.avg.com.

Comodo has recently released a new, free utility, Comodo Internet Security, to assist in keeping your system free of malware. It includes a firewall with anti-virus and even comes with a 30 day free trial of LivePCSupport. Download it from their website at http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html.

Any of these companies also offer full version utilities with more bells and whistles, for a price.

Visit www.staysafeonline.org for some good information including a list of more web sites that will give your system a security scan for free. Here’s a list to help you get started:

Know who you’re dealing with online.

Never click on links in unknown e-mails.

Keep your Web browser and operating system up to date.

Back up important files.

Protect your children online.

Use security software.

Use strong passwords and change them regularly.

Use strong authentication technology.

Don’t use public computers to do your online banking or bill paying.

Learn what to do if something goes wrong.

Other good online resources are www.onguardonline.gov and www.fraud.org.

If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC’s Identity Theft website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

Computers are great tools and the Internet is an incredible resource. To think about what the two of them together can accomplish is astounding. But if you’re not careful, you may get caught in someone’s phishing expedition.

Keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings as if you were in a bad part of town. These guys don’t phish or cut bait as those in a boat do. They are relentless. Just because the Internet is a virtual place, doesn’t mean you can’t really get ripped off. You can.

It’s virtually the same.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

To Standby or Hibernate: that is the question

Computer Care: Frequent ‘naps,’ then a long rest, best to power down PC

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED June 20, 2009 12:12 a.m.

There is an ongoing debate concerning powering down computers. Should you leave them on 24/7 or turn them off when you’re done with them?

There are benefits to doing both, so I compromise with my computers. I put them to sleep. Since I use my PCs on and off most of the day, I leave them turned on, but put them in a state of hibernation.

Now let’s first discuss the difference between sleep, or standby, and hibernation. They both turn off the monitor and hard drive.

In standby mode, all that you are working on is first saved to RAM or system memory when you turn your computer off. When you wake it up, usually by moving the mouse or pressing the space bar, your system wakes up to what you were previously working on. This is nice, but if you’re using a laptop, it puts a drain on your power supply — namely the battery, if you’re not plugged in.

In standby mode, the computer is in a reduced power state, but remains on.

The difference between that and hibernation is that when the computer hibernates, the data is saved to the hard drive and then the system powers off. When you wake it up, this time via the power button, it, too, returns to where you left off, without any loss of data or power.

With a laptop, you can set it up so all you need to do is close the lid and your system will go in the sleep mode of your choice.

My experience is that with XP, there are some issues with hibernation. I choose standby mode when working with it. Whenever I use hibernate, it would inevitably fail and make me reboot the system, ultimately losing what I was working on.

To disable hibernate in XP, go to Control Panel and click the Power Option icon. From the Hibernate tab there, you can uncheck and thereby disable that function.

Vista works well with either standby or hibernate.

Again, if you’re on a laptop, remember the power drain and keep the sleep to a nap, unless you have it plugged in.

Using XP, all you need to do is right-click on a blank area of your desktop and choose Properties. From there you’ll see a tab called Screen Saver. Within that area is a button that says, Power. Click it and you will be able to customize how and when your computer turns off.

For example, you can set it up so your display goes blank in 10 minutes (of nonuse), your hard drive shuts down in 20 minutes and the system powers down in 30 minutes. Choose whatever works best for you.

With Vista, click the start button and go to Control Panel. Depending upon which view mode you’re in, either click on Power Options, or if you don’t see it, first click on System and Maintenance, then on Power Options.

From there you’ll be able to customize how and when your computer shuts down. Vista is a bit more sophisticated than XP in that it offers power plans to choose from as well as everything XP offers. You can also adjust your display’s brightness setting from there.

Alternatively, right-click your desktop and choose "Personalize" and go to "Screen Saver." At the bottom of that box click on the link to change power settings.

In both operating systems, you can set up different options for when it is plugged in or when on batter power. But Vista takes it a step further. You can choose on a sliding scale whether you want higher performance or longer battery life.

Under Power Options, choose a plan and then click to change plan settings. You could also click the Change Advanced Power Settings option to access the Advanced tab. By clicking on each plus sign you see, you’ll expand that option and have control over everything power related in your computer. It is highly customizable.

Now I have found that not all versions of Vista have exactly the same menu structure. So if you can’t find something, look around; you’re close.

Well, should you leave you computer on all the time? I don’t think it’s a good idea. It puts wear and tear on the moving parts, not to mention the power it uses. Beside, when you power-down a PC and turn it on again, it refreshes the system memory and the computer will run faster.

Also many times when you have a problem, all you need to do is reboot your computer. By turning it off and on again, many small issues are resolved.

I put mine to sleep during the day and shut them down at night. They follow my habits. We take naps during the day and when finished for the night, pull the plug.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Video Chat Online

Computer Care: Webcams a great way to stay close

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED June 6, 2009 12:41 a.m.

My daughter Molly moved out of the house recently. She not only moved out of the house, but out of the state. So this relates to computers how? I’ll tell you.

Before she left, I set up her laptop with a webcam and a video conferencing program. Now we’re able to video chat with her and send video e-mails. It’s the next best thing to her being in town, and my wife is easier to live with.

This is by no means an expensive or difficult venture. Webcams practically set themselves up and go for $20-$200. There are lots of good ones in the $30-$50 range. You can shop for them locally at most major retailers.

But the best buys, in my opinion, are online. Check out newegg.com, tigerdirect.com, amazon.com, overstock.com or ebay.com.

An advantage to buying online is that you can read comments from those who already purchased the product you’re looking at. If lots of folks say the sound quality is poor, I’ll assume that it is and move on.

Microsoft has more than a few models to choose from, as does Logitech, a big name in webcams. There’s also some from Creative to consider. The software is free and there is a bunch to choose from.

Some of the cameras come with a disc that includes at least one program. I tested Yahoo Messenger, Skype. ooVoo, Microsoft Messenger and SightSpeed. There is also one called Eyeball Chat.

All of these offer free downloadable programs that are easy to use. You register the program, give yourself an identifiable name, plug in the webcam and you’re good to go.

All will allow you to chat online with any service and some will let you create video e-mails as well. You simply send it as an attachment.

If you use Outlook 2003, you can create a video email from within Outlook. The 2007 version, not surprisingly, doesn’t support it.

There are a few things to know about using webcams. Place your cam at eye level about 18-24 inches in front of you. Lots of new laptops and netbooks have them integrated in the bezel around the monitor.

If not an auto-focus model, be sure your image is crisp and clear. Try to position yourself so you are illuminated. If there’s a window or lamp behind you, it will be light and you will be a shadow.

All programs have some adjustments to fine tune your image. (You get to preview your headshot before you transmit it.) Tweak the brightness and contrast if necessary and test the audio.

If you’re trying to hook up a webcam you found lying around your house and you can’t get it to work, consider the operating system. An older cam may only have a device driver for XP; it may not work with Vista. You could always try to download a current driver from the manufacturer’s web site, but you may need to get a new web cam if you have Vista.

It’s also worth mentioning that some, but not all of the webcams come with an integrated microphone. If yours has one, it’s good in that you won’t need an additional piece of hardware.

But realize that a device that small will not generate the best quality audio. Those built-in mics are nothing more than tiny holes on the side of the cam.

There is the option of using a dedicated microphone or even a headset with a boom mic. It’s your choice. All desktops as well as laptops have inputs for headphones and microphones.

The picture quality has a lot to do with the optics of the lens. As with any camera, the more glass, the better the picture. The old adage, "you get what you pay for," applies to both of these instances. But it may work for you. You’re not creating a family archive to be passed down to the generations. It’s a web chat.

A closing caveat: There also are web-based programs. These are the type that you don’t download. You simply go to their Web sites, camera ready, and chat online using their service.

Such sites are chat platforms largely for the singles set. You can join a chat room or create one of your own. They are great for meeting folks online.

But if you’re just looking for a simple 1:1 video chat with your chosen few, choose one of the other programs.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Windows 7 Almost Ready -Download It Now

Computer Care: Free Windows 7 trial worth a download

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED May 23, 2009 12:09 a.m.

Windows 7 was released in beta or trial form a few months ago. That bug-laden form, although free of cost, was free of support as well. It is the nature of the beast with betas.

As Microsoft works out the kinks from this soon-to-be-finished operating system, they are allowing us to not only preview the latest incarnation, but to use it free for a year. Yes, free Microsoft. This is not a typo.

Windows 7 RC, for Release Candidate, is an upgrade of the beta version and is now available as a download from its Web site. As with the beta version, all you need to do is register. It will scan your computer to see if it is capable of running Win 7 and issue an installation key if it is. You will get an iso-type file which you’ll need to burn to a disc. You’ll then boot from this disc to install the operating system.

It will be good for a year from now and will cease to function on June 1, 2010. Two months prior to that, it will begin to remind you it is only a trial version. How, you ask? It will turn itself off every two hours until you buy it or delete it. Annoying, yes. Now that’s the Microsoft we know.

You only have through the end of June to register with Microsoft and download your copy of Windows 7 RC. Windows 7 the finished product, is scheduled to officially go on sale sometime during the winter holiday season.

This is unprecedented by Microsoft, or any other manufacturer, to my knowledge. It gives us an opportunity to really see if Win 7 is any better than its predecessors. We have plenty of time to test it, and it’s free.

Although not a total overhaul (it is written on the same kernel or foundation as XP & Vista), Microsoft claims there are to be some major changes, many we are supposed to like.

If you don’t have an extra or old computer kicking around the garage, you could alternatively set up your current one to dual boot to Vista and Win 7 or XP and Win 7. By dual boot, I mean that two operating systems installed on one computer. When the computer boots up, you will have a boot manager to offer you a choice of which operating system to boot into. There is some prep work involved plus the addition of the second OS, but it’s not that time consuming.

Now this is not for the weak of heart, but it’s really not all that difficult, either. Just be sure that you clone, image or otherwise back up your current system before you begin on this adventure. Back up to an external drive or to DVDs to be safe.

There are lots of articles and forums on the Internet that deal with this. Microsoft’s Web site may be the first place you run to for support, but others are easier to comprehend. Would you rather take instructions from the guys who developed the operating system, or from guys who tried to install it, made mistakes, took notes and now know the pitfalls?

Get the OS at www.microsoft.com/Windows/Windows-7/download.aspx and then check out lifehacker.com/5126781/ for simple instructions or read more at www.gadgetpaper.com/how-to-install-windows-7-rc-as-a-dual-boot-over-vista-or-from-scratch. Or Google,"dual boot Windows 7 RC" for more options.

You will need a partition utility to have a dual-boot system. Your hard drive will need to be split up, or partitioned to make room for what’s to come. Get a free copy of Gparted, at gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php. You could also use Partition-it if you own it, or others.

Be sure you follow directions carefully, taking no shortcuts. You may end up with a doorstop if you decide to get creative.

A dual-boot system is good for many reasons. My laptop is configured as a dual boot with XP and Vista. Until I am totally comfortable with Vista (should that day ever come), I use XP as my main OS and play around with Vista. I do the same on another system with XP and Win 7. Ultimately I assume, I’ll switch to Win 7. Should something happen to one OS, I could always access its files from the other. It makes for a versatile computer.

Dual-booting with this generous offer from Microsoft will give us a chance to really test drive Windows 7, side by side with whichever one we use now. By the time we are forced to make a decision, we will either like it and buy it, or stick with what we have. But at least it will be an informed first-hand decision.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Smaller Than a Laptop

Computer Care: Netbooks pack good bit in small package

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED April 24, 2009 10:33 p.m.

There’s a new computer in town, and it’s small. Classified as netbooks, these subcompact mini-laptops are something to be considered. By the end of the year more and more people will be considering them. As their size gets smaller, more options will be offered.

I’ve looked at the Dell, HP, Sony, Acer, Samsung, MSI, Lenovo and Asus models, all of which have much in common. To begin with, they all have 8- to 10-inch screens. HP has one with a 12-inch screen, but most of the newer models are 10 inches. They all use the Intel Atom processor, which at only 1.6 GHz provides quite a kick for those little guys.

All but Sony are priced in the $300-$400 range. I once paid that for a hard drive and memory upgrade. How times have changed.

Most ship with XP Home as the operating system. If you look, you can find some with Linux, and these are cheaper yet. There is little of anything else installed on most systems, (no trialware) except for Microsoft Works.

It appears that 1 GB of RAM (memory) is standard, although some of the models are upgradable to twice that. Better ask, to be sure.

The hard drives are small, but considering the size of these computers, it’s not bad. Some have as little as a 16 GB hard drive, others up to 160 GB. There is a mixture of conventional hard drives, the 2.5" SATA type, and the newer flash memory, similar to your thumb drives.

An Asus model, for example has what they call a hybrid hard drive, a bit of both. Some also offer online storage space to supplement the hard drive. You may want your own external drive as a supplement as well.

An obstacle to overcome with the netbooks will be the keyboard size. Some are much smaller than what we are used to. An Asus model claims a keyboard that’s 95 percent of standard size, big enough for the chubbiest of fingers. Others are not so large.

Sure, the screen is small, too, but most have a VGA out port so you can hook up an external monitor if you want to.

Keep in mind that these compact computers are designed for mobility. They are called netbooks for a reason. They are not designed as desktop replacements. Only if you use the computer exclusively for e-mail and web browsing, should you consider tossing your desktop computer. But they are good, solid computers for their purpose.

These mini computing marvels are not meant to edit videos, photos or music. Not only is there not enough memory to complete such tasks, there is nowhere to store the completed results.

But these are great for throwing into your attaché or handbag and taking anywhere to browse the web or check e-mail. They boot up very quickly and all have wireless capabilities. They all also have webcams built into the bezel around the screen, so you can send and receive video e-mails on the go.

The netbooks are tiny compared to standard laptops. Most are approximately 10 inches by 7« inches by 1 inch. They weigh from 2.8 to 3.4 pounds, depending on the model and the battery. Now that is portable.

The battery is perhaps the weakest part of the device. Due to the size, it can’t hold much power and tops out on most models at a couple of hours. Take what the battery is rated it at and knock off an hour or two to be realistic.

If you have the option to upgrade the battery, go for it. Some offer a 6-cell battery for an additional $100, but it could double your time away from an outlet.

One of the ways the manufacturers can make these so lightweight and inexpensive is by deleting the optical drive. That’s right, none of the netbooks have a CD/DVD drive. You’ll either have to download your programs, install them from a flash drive or use an external optical drive connected to a USB port.

Some models come with only one USB port. You get what you pay for. Others have three ports. Should something happen to the one, you have no way to connect your peripheral devices. But all units that I have sampled have a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, should something happen.

Consider shopping online for these netbooks. You’ll have more variety and some vendors ship for free. There are always sites like newegg.com, overstock.com, frys.com and all of the manufacturer’s Web sites. There are always specials popping up.

If you travel a lot, are a student, need a portable second computer, only surf the web and use e-mail or just want a nice, small laptop, you should consider one of these netbooks. Their debut in the market is timed perfectly for this economy. For $300, you can’t beat it.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

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COMPUTER TIP

Are you having Internet Connections Problems? ?

Usually when your ISP looses a signal, as it does occasionally, you need to reset the connection at your end. Before you call your ISP, try resetting the connection yourself. If you have a modem, whether cable or DSL and a router - unplug them both. Wait a couple of minutes. Then first plug in your modem. (That's the one connected to either the cable or phone line.) Wait for all the lights to come back on and settle down. If you don't wait, it won't work. THEN plug in your router & allow it to come back online and reboot your computer. There is a good chance your Internet connection will now work. You may wait on hold for 45 minutes only to be told to do just that. Try it next time you lose a signal.

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Good, Free Programs

Computer Care: Many programs are free, others just worthless

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED May 9, 2009 1 a.m.

There are lots of free programs on the Internet. Some are truly free, while some are truly worthless. Let's talk about the differences and what there is to offer. After all, everyone likes a bargain.

There is shareware, which is really trial-ware. You can usually use it for a limited period of time before being told you must purchase it. Other types have the best functions disabled.

Then there is what I call "teaserware." It teases you to believe a free download is a free program. It is not. But you don't realize it until you have it installed. Tread carefully.

Adware is what you get when you download a so-called free screensaver, for example. Sure the product is free, but it comes with a caveat. There are ads somehow attached to it either in the form of pop-ups or banners. As soon as you delete the ads, the program becomes nonfunctional. Caveat emptor.

We all have some free programs installed, usually a defragmenter or a game. But there is much more out there, from Web browsers and office suites to entire operating systems.

Let's start with the browsers. Aside from the one forced upon us, there are alternatives and they're all free.

I like Mozilla Firefox. That's the one that Internet Explorer copied in its current incarnation. It has tabbed browsing, is easy to use and is secure. It is highly customizable. There are hundreds of plug-ins or add-ons that are available for Firefox. They assist with things from your bookmarks (favorites) to downloads and icon themes. Find it at mozilla.com.

You might also consider Opera, another free browser, from opera.com.

It's not just browsers or little programs that are cost-free. There is an Office alternative for those unwilling to shell out hundreds of dollars for software. Open Office, from openoffice.org is a free productivity suite that is comparable to Microsoft's own. It may not have all the bells and whistles, but is a fine alternative. You can use it at home or in the office on as many computers as you want.

It will create and open most documents created in MS Office, including those from word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and graphics. Download this and you'll be using it less than half an hour.

Another great program is Drive Image XML. It backs up your data by creating images of your hard drive or partitions, similar to what Norton Ghost does, minus the cost for home use. Find it at runtime.org. This is a great backup program worth checking out.

If you tire of waiting for your pdf files to open, consider switching from Adobe Reader to Foxit Reader. It is a small program that downloads and installs in a couple of minutes. When you click on a pdf file, it will almost instantly be available to read, unlike the way Adobe works. Find it at foxitsoftware.com and click on the free version link.

If you browse the Internet a lot, you could use a better firewall than Windows offers. There are two freebies that stick out above the rest.

PC Tools and Comodo both offer better options than Microsoft. They have pop-ups, but that is the nature of the beast. You'll be asked what you want to do, attempting to access questionable Web sites or running certain programs. It watches what comes in and what goes out. It's all about safety.

The pop-up will simply ask your permission, similar to that of Vista's User Account Control. Usually, you have it do most of the deciding for you, but there is still a certain amount of interaction. It is tolerable and it helps keep your system clean.

Check these two firewall utilities out at pctools.com/firewall/download and personalfirewall.comodo.com.

With all the Microsoft maligning I do, it deserves an "atta boy" from me with its free program Photo Story. It is an easy-to-use, full-of-extras slide show maker. Get it at microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx.

Most, if not all of these can also be found at download.com, majorgeeks.com or filehippo.com. As always, it's a good idea to scan for viruses and malware when you download anything from the Web, but I've never had any trouble with these sites.

Be advised that programs free of cost are also free of support. You are on your own. Often you can find forums of users who help one another, but don't count on the manufacturers for any help.

The free operating system; it's Linux. There are perhaps a dozen variations on a theme. Try looking at www.linux.org, ubuntu.com or debian.org for the most popular flavors.

Once you realize a free program doesn't equate with garbage, you'll be like me, staying up all hours of the morning searching for downloads. Now you know why you never see me until after 10 a.m.

Download complete.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

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COMPUTER TIP: Right-Click Tricks

The right mouse button is an extremely versatile tool, perhaps even more so than it's brother. The commands are ever-changing, depending on what is being clicked on.
By right clicking on your desktop, and choosing NEW - you can create new folder, new text document, or create new shortcuts. Use the SEND option also from right-clicking on an icon to send them anywhere in your system, amoung other things.
Right-click on an often-used desktop icon and choose to have it pinned to the start Menu for easier access.
Right-click on the desktop and choose PROPERTIES for all kinds of settings within all the tabs relating to your desktop. You can change desktops, themes or fine tune either one. Make your scroll bar wider or a different color. Adjust the power setting to go into Standby or hibernate at a time of your choosing.
Right-click on any icon to rename or delete it.
When you come across an image online you want to save, right-click on it and choose "Save Image As..." and keep it for your own. Occasionally the image is locked, but for the most part, it works.
Right click on My Computer and choose Properties to change an abundance of settings within the system.
Right-click on an icon in the taskbar by the clock for program options or to shut those programs down.
Do the right-click on a blank area of the taskbar to find toolbars, customize the taskbar or the Start Menu.

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