Many browsers offer dynamic as-you-type spell check on any text you enter. In Firefox 2.0, misspellings are underlined in red, and right-clicking on them will pop-up suggestions. In Safari, dynamic spell checking can be activated by placing your cursor in any text field, then selecting Edit/Spelling/Check Spelling as You Type. Internet Explorer does not include its own spell check, but can be upgraded with the free IESpell or the low-cost JSpell Toolbar .
When downloading a file, Windows users must choose between Run or Save. Run is actually a two-step process. First the file is saved to a temporary location, and then it is run (or executed) the same as if you had traversed to its location in Windows Explorer and double-clicked on it. The key is that the location is temporary. If you will ever need the file again, it is better to Save it, so you know where you to access it again. For more on the difference between Run and Save, read Ask-Leo.com.
By default, Microsoft Office 2007 uses a new file format with the extension “.docx”. If you are trying to share files with users of older versions of Office, this can be a problem. Depending on whether you are the creator or the receiver, there are two ways to solve this problem. To create a more compatible file, users of MS Office 2007 can “Save As” in Office 2003 format. On the receiving side, users of older Office versions can grab a free upgrade from Microsoft that will allow them to read the new format.
Ever wondered why your Internet connection is busy while you are not doing anything on your computer? It could be a dozen benign reasons (such as an email program checking for email) or it could be malware. Netstat is a free program included with most versions of Windows and Unix that displays all open Internet connections. To learn more, read Use Netstat to Track IPs or How Can I Tell What Internet Activity is Happening On My Machine?.
Because the slower USB 1.x and faster USB 2.0 ports look identical, it is difficult to tell them apart. Your Windows configuration, however, will know if you have a USB 2.0 port, and here’s how you can find out. Click Right-Click My Computer, Click Properties, Hardware, Device Manager, and scroll down to Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Click to expand the description. If any of the ports are described as “Enhanced” then those are 2.0. For more details, read Ask Leo!.
After the April 15th Microsoft security update, many users started experiencing problems with Internet Explorer, Office and their My Documents folder. A new update will probably be out shortly, but you can find a short term work around at Microsoft . Learn more at Ask Leo).
Windows DLL (dynamic link libraries) are files used by application programs. Many of us don’t know anything about them until we get a pop-up error message announcing one is missing. Here’s a short list of sites that can help unravel the mystery: Microsoft’s DLL Help Database, Microsoft’s Knowledge Base, and DLL-Files which offers both free and paid help.
For free anti-virus protection on a Windows desktop, radio and television personality Leo Laporte recommends AVG. For more of his Windows safety tips, read Must Have Security Apps.
To close multiple Internet Explorer windows at once (useful for getting rid of dozens of pop-up windows), click on one of the window tags in the XP taskbar. Then hold down the Cntrl key while clicking on each of the remaining IE windows. Right-click to open up the group dialog menu, and select Close Group.
