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November 20th, 2008
Prevent Outlook Express from audibly notifying you when new messages arrive. November 20, 2008, at 2:04 P.M. EST
Outlook Express in Windows XP plays a sound whenever new e-mail arrives. This is useful if you are multitasking; instead of keeping track of the Outlook Express window, you can work on other software and know by a sound whenever you need to check your Inbox.
There are some circumstances, however, where you do not want to hear when new messages arrive. For example, you may be listening to music or playing a game and may find the sound distracting. Thus, it can be disabled:... MORE >
For privacy reasons, clear the list of files you download in Mozilla Firefox, or prevent it from recording this list altogether. November 20, 2008, at 12:49 P.M. EST
As you download files in Mozilla Firefox, the Download Manager (accessible via "Tools" - "Downloads") records a list of these files. This way, you can easily find and open files recently downloaded from websites, especially useful if you download files to multiple folders and forget where you place them.
For privacy reasons, especially if you share your computer with others, you may want to clear this list. Or, you may not ever want to keep a record of these files in the browser. ... MORE >
Prevent Windows Vista from hiding file extensions in Explorer, a possible security risk. November 20, 2008, at 11:21 A.M. EST
Depending on your configuration, Windows Vista may hide the file extensions of known file types in Explorer views. The reason for this is to "clean up" the display of files, as often the file icon signifies the type of file anyway.
Unfortunately, this configuration is a potential security risk. For example, it is possible that a filename that looks like it ends with ".txt", or a filename with an icon that looks like a notepad icon, actually has a hidden OTHER extension. If you double-click what you think is a simple text file, you may actually run malware instead!... MORE >
Prevent Outlook Express from automatically trying to send messages as soon as you compose them. November 20, 2008, at 9:49 A.M. EST
Depending on your configuration, when you compose e-mail in Outlook Express in Windows XP, the software will automatically attempt to connect to the Internet to send your e-mail.
If you have an always-on connection to the Internet, this immediacy may be useful so you don't accidentally forget to send the e-mail later. However, if you are using a dial-up connection or one where you must pay for bandwidth, you might rather have Outlook Express queue your outgoing e-mail into the "Outbox" and only send it when you click the "Send / Recv" button or when Outlook Express automatically performs a periodic send / receive action.... MORE >
A fan site for the series of "Back to the Future" movies. November 19, 2008, at 1:49 P.M. EST
Do you like to drive DeLoreans? Does walking past a clock tower make you afraid a lightning bolt is about to strike? Do pine trees get you in the urge to go shopping?
If so, you may want to visit BTTF, a fan site dedicated to the "Back to the Future" movies. If you're a fan of the actors and actresses in the series such as Mary Steenburgen (Clara) and Tom Wilson (Biff), a calendar offers upcoming appearance dates. You'll also find related celebrity news and discussion forums. Plus, the "Time Travel Terminal" store offers a variety of items including t-shirts, DeLorean models, action figures, and a set of trading cards.... MORE >
Disable Java support in Firefox if you are concerned about applet security. November 19, 2008, at 12:14 P.M. EST
Java Applets are used in many webpages to display charts and graphs, navigational elements, games, or other interactive features. While Java applets are supposedly safer than ActiveX Controls due to a "sandboxing" mechanism that keeps applets from running trusted code or damaging the system, it is possible that this sandbox may have exploitable holes. See Secunia's 7/9/08 Sun Java JDK/JRE Advisory for an example of this.
Because of possible security violations, you may choose to turn off Java support in Mozilla Firefox at the expense of accessing features on certain websites.... MORE >
Adjust spacing between letters in selected text in a PowerPoint 2007 presentation. November 19, 2008, at 10:49 A.M. EST
In some situations when designing a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, you may wish to adjust the spacing between characters in a line of text. For example, you may wish to fit a few more characters in a particular line, squeezing / tightening the characters together. Or, conversely, you might want to loosen the spacing to make text easier to read, especially for those in the back of a conference room.
1. Select the text you wish to adjust.... MORE >
Disable Outlook 2007's audio notification whenever new e-mail arrives in your Inbox. November 19, 2008, at 9:16 A.M. EST
By default, Microsoft Outlook 2007 plays a sound whenever new items, such as e-mail or meeting requests, arrive. If you run other software while keeping Outlook open, or are performing other non computer-related tasks, this notification can help alert you to new e-mail without having to always keep an eye on the Outlook window.
Depending on your needs, however, you may wish to disable this notification. For example, if you are recording a video or audio conference, you may not want this sound inserted into the recording.... MORE >
Enhance media playback in Windows Media Player 11 with SRS WOW 3D and TruBass effects. November 18, 2008, at 2:50 P.M. EST
Windows Media Player 11 includes a player enhancement called SRS WOW, a feature you may wish to experiment with for enhanced audio playback. SRS WOW adds a 3d "depth" to the sound and offers bass adjustments via TruBass.
1. Switch to Media Player's full mode by pressing Ctrl + 1.... MORE >
Remove animations when navigating between screens in Windows Media Center 2005. November 18, 2008, at 1:15 P.M. EST
By default, when navigating between screens in Windows Media Center 2005, screens pop in and out through transition animations. While many people appreciate this "eye candy", others may find this needless and would rather have the increased navigation speed with these animations removed.
1. Select "Settings".... MORE >
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