More PC Tips

RIVER BENDER - October, 2012

Opening web pages full screen: Are you tired of having to hit the maximize button or drag the borders of a web page to have it display full screen? If you google "open web pages full size" unfortunately you'll find different solutions, some of which work and some don't. Here's one that works for me using Vista and MS Internet Explorer 9.0: Open a web page you know has links on it to other web pages (try http://pages.suddenlink.net/davew/dave.htm). Drag the borders of the page to fit the screen. Now (important), right-click on one of the links to another web page and from the menu select "open in a new window." Drag the borders of the new page to fit the screen and close the page by clicking File, Exit. Do the same for the original web page. All web pages should now open full size.

Are you getting the broadband speed you're paying for? I'm subscribed to Suddenlink Internet cable service at 15 megabits/sec service for $37/month. Using the website Speakeasy at http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ I have been checking download speed (Washington) and recording it on a spreadsheet that computes cumulative average. Over a 30-day period I recorded a maximum of 20.2 mbps and minimum of 3.8 mbps with the average being 12 mbps. I think the average should be closer to 16 mbps and plan to complain to Suddenlink but I see a new coax cable is being installed in my neighborhood so I'll wait and see if it helps.

Is your photo too large to send to RBmail? RBmail has an email size limit of 600kbytes that was established years ago when most users had slow dialup Internet service. Dialup is now disappearing so the limit could probably be raised upward; however, in the meantime, users can send numerous photos in a message if they will simply reduce the size to around 60Kbytes. Assuming most users have Windows and MS Paint, the easiest way to resize a single photo is to right-click on the filename, select Open With and select Paint. When Paint opens select Image, Resize and enter a percentage to reduce the photo to, like 50%. Save it under a different name if you want to keep the original.

Download Belarc Advisor: The Belarc Advisor has been around for many years. Download it at http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html and it will build and print a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, network inventory, missing Microsoft hot fixes, anti-virus status and security benchmarks. You'll be amazed at the information it digs out of your computer. If you already have Belarc, you might want to get the latest version.

How can someone access Internet cheaply? Every now and then I run into someone who doesn't have a computer because they can't afford one. I've given away three computers to such individuals all set up to access Internet via a free dial-up company like Juno or NetZero. I was going to give one away a few days ago until my friend said he didn't even have a telephone line. Here's what I suggested to him: (1) Learn how to use a computer online by using one available at the New Bern Library or Craven Community College library. (2) After becoming comfortable on the Internet, consider purchasing an inexpensive smart phone ($40) that has a keyboard and WiFi access. WiFi is free wireless access to Internet that you can find in such places as McDonald's, Schlotzsky's, Port City Java and Trent River Coffee in New Bern. With access to the Internet at one of those places, you can access Google Gmail and set up your own email address.