Are cookies bad? Cookies do not act maliciously on computer systems. They are merely text files that can be deleted at any time - they are not plug ins nor are they programs. Cookies cannot be used to spread viruses and they cannot access your hard drive. This does not mean that cookies are not relevant to a user's privacy and anonymity on the Internet. Cookies cannot read your hard drive to find out information about you; however, any personal information that you give to a Web site, including credit card information, will most likely be stored in a cookie unless you have turned off the cookie feature in your browser. In only this way are cookies a threat to privacy. The cookie will only contain information that you freely provide to a Web site. (webopedia.com | are cookies malicious?)

How to view / delete cookies

1. Click on the Tools Menu.
   
2. In the Internet Options section of the General Tab click on Temporary Internet Files.
   
3. Click on Settings (note - If you click on Delete files, it will delee all Temporary Internet Files EXCEPT cookies.)
   
4. Click on View Files. This will open the Temporary Internet Files Folder.
   
5. To view the cookie files click on the Type Column (see image below) until you see Text Document under it. This will put all of the cookie files in a list together.
   
6. To delete a cookie simply right click on the name of the cookie that you want to delete and select delete from the resulting menu.
   
7. Finally click on Yes when you are asked if you are sure that you want to delete the selected cookie(s).
   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/view_and_delete_cookies_in_int.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/view_and_delete_cookies_in_int.html PC Tutorials Wed, 03 Nov 2004 23:23:18 -0500 The immediacy of Instant Messaging (IM) makes it an excellent form of communication. Once downfall of IM is that your messages are not automatically saved, like they would be in email. Using the following method, you can save any IM.
   ]]> Finish Your Conversation : Once you finish your conversation, before you close the window of the current conversation, go to the file menu (image 1) and select Save As.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   

   Specify Location To Save : Next, specify the location to save the file. If you intend to do this often, I would suggest creating a folder to save all of these files in and name it IM Conversations or something else that would be relevant to you. You specify the location to save the file by selecting the location from the Save In menu (see image 2).

   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   

   Name Your File : I would suggest including who the conversation was with and the date in the file name. This would help you later when you want to remember who you were talking to. In my example (see image 3, I simply named the file Conversation).

   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   

   Open and Read Your File : Now that you have saved your conversation, go to the Folder or location that you saved your file in (see image 4 below) and double click on the file. The file will then open as a text document with everything that was said in that conversation (see image 5 below). You can now print the file by going to the File Menu and selecting print.

   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   
   

   

   
   
   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/save_and_print_your_instant_me.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/save_and_print_your_instant_me.html PC Tutorials Mon, 01 Nov 2004 23:32:46 -0500 What is a screenshot? Screenshots are pictures of items on your computer screen. In this tutorial I'll show you how to easily take a screenshot of whatever is on your screen.
   ]]> Why would you want to take a screenshot? The main reason I take screenshots are for use with tutorials like this one but there could be any number of uses of screenshots.
   

   Print Screen : The key to taking a screenshot in Windows is the Print Screen button (often abbreviated Prnt Scrn). To take a screenshot, hit this button on your keyboard and then open an image editor (Paint or some other image editing program). While in your image editor, open a new document and then click on Paste. This will paste the screenshot that you just took into that new document. Now you can save, print or do anything you want with the screenshot.

   
   

   How does this work? : When you hit Prnt Scrn, Windows copies everything it sees on the screen at that time (just like you would copy text from a Word document). That's all there is to it.

   
   
   
   

   

   
   

   Sample Screenshot

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/take_a_screenshot_in_windows.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/11/take_a_screenshot_in_windows.html PC Tutorials Mon, 01 Nov 2004 07:15:27 -0500 Aren't we all looking for a simple way to rip Wav files into MP3's?

   I highly recommend iTunes from Apple. Being a mac user myself (who sometimes has to live in the Windows world), I've loved iTunes from day one. I don't think there is a better JukeBox software package out there. Add in the fact that it is free, and it's a no brainer.

   ]]> But, I know that some of you out there just want to rip your WAV files to MP3 (and vice versa) format in the simplest manner possible. That is where RightClick-MP3 comes in.

   There is not a whole lot of effort that goes into using, RightClick-MP3. It's basically a two step process. First, find the WAV file that you want to encode, second right click on it and select Encode this WAV to and MP3. That's it. No Fuss, No Muss. There are a couple other keystrokes (Press Any Key type things) that are required, but they are minimal.

   Don't be fooled into thinking that because RightClick-MP3 is contained in a menu, that it is not a full featured program. This little baby packs some punch. It uses BladeEnc for encoding and L3Decode for decoding. You can also specify bit rate via its Start Menu Icon.

   All of this in a small (396K) package. Oh, did I mention it is FREE? One more reason to go download this today.

   I can't really speak to the speed of the program because I was using it in Virtual PC on my PowerBook G4 (550MHZ). If you have any information on the speed of RightClick-MP3, be sure to post it on the message board.

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/rip_wavs_to_mp3_easily.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/rip_wavs_to_mp3_easily.html PC Tutorials Thu, 23 Sep 2004 14:09:27 -0500 The 9/11 Commission Report has sold more than 350,000 copies in its first week on shelves in bookstores. The 9/11 Commission report is a 400-plus page document that chronicles the days and months leading up to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

   ]]>

   The Executive Summary is now available as a free download from the iTunes Music Store. The summary, which is narrated by various speakers, is 1 hour and 1 minute long and is provided by Audible.com.

   In addition to the Executive Summary being available for download, the actual 9/11 Commission Hearings are also available as a free download. There are a total of 35 Hearings available for download. Speakers include Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenant, and John Ashcroft among others. Each download ranges from 1 to 2 hours in length.

   

   Finally, if you missed the Democratic National Convention (you didn't miss much) and you want to hear some of the rhetoric, er, speeches then iTunes has you covered there as well. Speeches from day one and day two are currently available as a free download.

   Day one includes speeches from Terry McAuliffe, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and more. Day two includes speeches by Howard Dean, Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, Ron Reagan and more.

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/stay_informed_with_itunes.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/stay_informed_with_itunes.html Internet Tutorials Thu, 23 Sep 2004 13:46:18 -0500 With the release of WindowsXP Service Pack 2, Microsoft has barricaded the doors and put plywood over the windows. But did they remember to check the back door?
   ]]> "To get an idea of how Windows got to be such a mess, think of it as a house that was built on an island in the middle of a lake, deep in the countryside.

   Because you're so isolated, you don't need to worry about keeping strangers out -- your security rests on being physically separate from the rest of the world.

   So it doesn't matter that the windows can only be latched shut with great difficulty, that locks were picked to match the decor (no ugly deadbolts here!) and there's an extra key hidden under the doormat.

   Now take that house and move it into the city. Shopping or socializing no longer requires a long drive; all the distractions you might want are right outside. But there are a few burglars in town, and they all know how easy your house is to break into." Rob Pegoraro Technewsworld.com

   With the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Microsoft has finally barricaded the doors left open by the original release of Windows XP. SP2 includes a built in firewall (firewall - webopedia.com) that is TURNED ON automatically. The firewall in SP2 monitors the flow of traffic on every port on your computer. If a program wants to open a port for communicating with the outside world, you will be prompted to approve this action. In theory this sounds like the good change. In practice? - we'll see.

   In my experience, most users who see a dialog box that they don't understand generally click 'No' or 'Cancel'. Unfortunately, I envision thousands of tech support calls from novice users asking 'Why is program X not working as advertised?' when all they really need to do is click 'Yes' to allow the program to work.

   Another highlight of SP2 is the inclusion of a Pop-Up Blocker in Internet Explorer (IE). What year is it? 2004? What took so long. I'm sure most readers are using a pop-up blocker of some sort. The void of pop-up blockers in IE has created a robust pop-up blocker market in the Windows world. A quick search at Download.com reveals that there are no less than 150 such programs available.

   Unfortunately, most computer users (novice to intermediate skill level) have no idea what a pop-up blocker is. In fact, they have no idea that there is more than one browser available. Hopefully, the pop-up blocker will be turned ON by default.

   SP2 is quite a hefty download. The download from the Microsoft site is a robust 266 MB. Users with Automatic Update turned on (Microsoft estimates 40% of users) will be able to download an 80MB patch starting 8/23/04. Users may experience some slow downloads initially.

   "We won't be at full capacity on Monday. We'll be throttling the number of users who can download it," said Paul Randle, product marketing manager for SP2.

   The size of the update should cause worry for those with new computers. According to the Internet Storm Center - SANS. The current survival time for a Windows PC connected to the internet is currently 20 minutes. "The survivaltime is calculated as the average time between reports for an average target IP address." Basically, they calculate how long it takes for your IP (IP - webopedia.com) address to be targeted by a worm (worm - webopedia.com) or malware (malware - webopedia.com) bot.

   If we do the math I think the equation looks like this:

   266MB File ÷ Xmb/s Internet Connection = Ymin.

   Ymin > 20 Min.

   :-( = Dead Computer

   The SANS Institute Internet Storm Center has a great instruction manual called Windows XP: Surviving the First Day [PDF] for those who are setting up a new computer. It will help you get your computer set up, while decreasing your vulnerability.

   As with all Microsoft Updates, there are sure to be bugs that will need worked out, and vulnerabilities that need patched. Two possible holes have been reported by the independent security firms Secunia and Heise according to this BBC News story [Holes found in Windows XP update].

   For more information on the Windows XP update, check out the BBC news Q&A or the article about conflicts and headaches caused by SP2.

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/windowsxp_sp2_released_ready.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/windowsxp_sp2_released_ready.html PC Tutorials Tue, 21 Sep 2004 10:55:48 -0500 Looking for a way to access your application, files, folder and drives quickly? Use Quick Launch.
   ]]> Quick Launch is a feature built into the Windows Task bar. It allows you to create icons on the task bar for one-click access. You may have used Quick Launch and not even have realized it. In the image below, I have put an orange square around the Quick Launch portion of the task bar.
   
   
   

   

   
   

   The Task Bar with Quick Launch highlighted in orange.

   
   
   
   

   Accessing Quick Launch : Quick Launch is usually turned on by default when you buy your computer. If, for some reason it is not on, right click on the Task Bar and select Toolbars from the pop-up menu. After selecting Toolbars click on Quick Launch (see image below).

   
   
   
   

   

   
   

   Right-Click on the task bar, select toolbars and then click on Quick Launch

   
   
   
   
   
   

   Now that Quick Launch is on, you will see icons for the applications that are set by default.

   
   

   Add / Remove Icons : Any application, file, folder or drive can be added to or deleted from Quick Launch. To add a file to Quick Launch, drag the file from its location to the Quick Launch area. You can drag files from the desktop, the start menu and your hard drive to the Quick Launch area. To remove icons from the Quick Launch are, right click on the icon and select Delete from the pop-up menu (see image below). You will then be asked whether or not you really want to delete the item. Select Yes.

   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   
   

   Right click on an item and select delete to remove it from the quick launch

   
   
   
   
   
   

   note - some items, especially drives (like the CD-ROM drive) will say that an item cannot be copied here and will ask if you want to create a shortcut here. In those cases select yes and it will function the same.

   
   

   Using Quick Launch allows for quick access to all of your important files. It is also a way to clean up your desktop. As you can see below, I have added a couple of frequently used applications, a network drive, a folder, a file and my CD-ROM drive to the Quick Launch.

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/using_quick_launch_to_access_f.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/using_quick_launch_to_access_f.html PC Tutorials Fri, 17 Sep 2004 07:58:24 -0500 Getting the hang of double-clicking is often a difficult task for new computer users. It can also be a problem for those with less than steady hands. In Windows, there is a simple solution to this problem and it is found in the Folder Options control panel.

   ]]> Do the following to find the Folder Options control panel:
   

   
   
   1. Click on the Start Menu.
      
   2. Go to the Settings Menu and then click on the Control Panels folder.
      
   3. Find the Folder Options control panel and double click on it. [In the image below, you can see that the icon for the Folder Options control panel has an orange square around it.]
      

   
   

   
   

   

   
   

   
   

   In the General Tab of the Folder Options control panel find the section called 'Click items as follows' [in the image above this section has an orange square around it]. Select, Single-Click to open an item, to change from double-click to single-click. Click Apply and then OK.

   
   

   Now, every icon on your desktop will have the name underlined, much like a link on a web page, and you will only have to click on it once.

   ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/use_a_single_click_to_open_des.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/09/use_a_single_click_to_open_des.html PC Tutorials Mon, 13 Sep 2004 23:36:16 -0500 The home page is the first page that loads when your browser opens. Most Internet Service Providers (like MSN, Earthlink) set their own web site as the home page by default when you sign up for their service. This can be changed to any page that you would prefer (news, sports, soap opera recap) with a few easy steps.

   ]]>
   

   
   
   1. Go to the web page that you would like to set as you home page (or have the address handy).
      
   2. Click on the Tools Menu.
      
   3. Click on Internet Options
      
   4. In the Home Page section of the General Tab, click on the Use Current button (if you took my advice and are at the page that you want to set as your home page) or type in the address of the page (ex. - http://www.gbradhopkins.com).
      
   5. Click on OK and you are done.
      <
      ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/08/change_your_browsers_home_page.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/08/change_your_browsers_home_page.html PC Tutorials Fri, 13 Aug 2004 23:38:24 -0500 Changing the resolution of your screen can greatly change the way things look on your screen. Text too small? Change your screen resolution.
      ]]> Changing the size of your desktop is done by changing the resolution of your screen. Here are the steps:
      
      
      
      1. Right Click on your desktop (anywhere except on an icon).
         
      2. Select [click on] Properties. The Display Properties dialog box will open.
         
      3. Click on the Settings Tab.
         
      4. Find the Screen Area Slider.
         
      5. To make your screen area smaller, drag the slider toward less. To make your screen area larger, drag your slider toward more. [Generally, 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768 are the best settings.]
         
      6. Once you have adjusted the screen to the desired size, click Apply.
         
      7. You will get a message saying that Windows will now re size your desktop. Click OK.
         
      8. Your computer will now re size your screen and then ask you if you want to keep the new setting.
         
      9. Click Yes or No and then click OK to close the display properties dialog box.
         ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/change_the_resolution_size_of.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/change_the_resolution_size_of.html PC Tutorials Wed, 23 Jun 2004 08:22:56 -0500 With all the icons that can be added to your taskbar, it can get awfully crowded down there. With that in mind, you can make changes that will allow for it. This is a very simple skill (although it can take some time to figure out where exactly to put your pointer).
         ]]> To increase the size of your taskbar, simply put your mouse pointer over the top edge (provided your taskbar is on the bottom of the screen) of the taskbar. Your pointer should change to double arrows (pointing away from each other). This means that your computer is ready to resize the taskbar. Now, click and drag your taskbar as far up as you would like it. You can make the taskbar up to half the size of the screen. Once you get to a point that is good, let go. That is all there is to it. Decreasing the size is the same (drag down instead of up, of course).
         ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/resize_your_taskbar.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/resize_your_taskbar.html PC Tutorials Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:21:33 -0500 The System Tray in Windows is a handy little area for quick access to many of the computers basic functions. If you don't know where the system tray is, just look for the clock. That area is the system tray.
         In this tutorial I will show you how to add (or remove) the volume control slider to the system tray.
         ]]> The Audio Properties Icon : First, check to see if the audio properties icon is in the system tray. The icon is a little yellow speaker (circled in red - image right).
         

         Add / Remove Icon : To add (or remove) the audio properties icon to the system tray, first, click on Settings in the Start Menu. Next, click on the Control Panels folder. In the Control Panels Folder, you will double click on the Sounds and Multimedia Icon (image 1 below).

         
         
         
         

         

         
         
         
         
         
         

         In the Sound Properties Control Panel you can then adjust various audio input and output settings. To add the Volume Control to the Taskbar, put a check next to Show Volume Control in the Taskbar (image 2 below). Next, click on Apply and then OK. You will then see the Volume Control on the System Tray (image 3 below).

         
         
         
         
         
         

         

         
         

         

         
         
         
         
         
         

         The process for removing the Volume control is the same except you will uncheck the box next to Show Volume control on the Taskbar.

         
         

         Adjusting Volume : Now that you have the Volume Control in the system tray, you can click on it to display a volume slider. Move the slider up to increase the volume and down to decrease the volume (image 4 below). You can also mute the volume by checking the Mute button (image 5 below).

         
         
         
         
         
         

         

         
         
         
         
         
         

         You can tell that the volume is muted because the icon will have a red circle around it with a line through the icon.

         ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/adjust_your_audio_settings_via.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/adjust_your_audio_settings_via.html PC Tutorials Thu, 10 Jun 2004 08:19:28 -0500 I was recently asked how you could take music that is on a CD and put it on your computer. This is not a herculean task but it is something more and more people are interested in doing.

         ]]> There are a number of programs available to accomplish this. A quick search for encoders or rippers at download.com will provide a number of alternatives. I chose to use Windows Media Player for two reasons 1) It comes pre-installed on all new computers (if you don't have it you can download it here for free) and 2) It is fairly straightforward.
         
         
         
         
         

         Windows Media Player will play files in MP3 format but does not rip into mp3 format. It rips into Windows Media format. If you need to encode in MP3 then I suggest you read this tutorial or check out this program (RightClick-MP3).

         
         

         There is some terminology that you probably need to be aware of before getting started.

         
         

         
         
         • mp3 - a file format used for compressing audio files to roughly 1/12th their original size.
           
         • ripping - also known as encoding. Basically taking a file from the CD and converting it to an mp3 file that is saved on your hard drive.
           
         • media player - an application that is used to play all types of media (music, video radio, etc.). Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, QuickTime are all examples of media players.
           

         
         

         
         

         The system I am using has Windows ME on it. Don't be alarmed, the steps should not differ greatly if you are using a different version of Windows.

         
         

         
         

         
         

         Open Windows Media Player Find Windows Media Player in the start menu or on the task bar and click on it to open the program (see image below).

         
         

         
         

         
         

         

         
         

         
         

         Playing a CD Click on the CD Audio button. Windows media Player will then tell you to insert an audio CD. If you have an internet connection (I recomend that you connect to the internet before continuing) when you put your music CD into the CD-ROM drive Windows Media Player will automatically look up the album and track information. Your CD should then begin playing. If it does not, click on the play button (grey arrow pointing to the right).

         
         

         Ripping (Encoding) the CD Now you are ready to begin ripping the CD (or the specific tracks that you want). To select certain tracks, click the check boxes next to the tracks that you want to encode. Of course, if you want all of the tracks encoded, make sure that they all have checks next to them. Now, click the red button next to Copy Music. Windows Media Player will begin to encode your music. The amount of time it takes will vary depending on the length of the song. Copied (encoded, ripped, all the same thing) files are stored on your hard drive. Once you have encoded them, you no longer have to put the CD in to listen to them.

         
         

         Playing an Encoded Audio File To listen to the files that you have encoded, click on the Media Library button in Windows Media Player. This will show you a list of all the songs you have on your Hard Drive. To play a particular song, simply click on it and then click the play button.

         ]]> http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/rip_music_using_windows_media.html http://www.gbradhopkins.com/archives/2004/06/rip_music_using_windows_media.html PC Tutorials Sun, 06 Jun 2004 08:11:23 -0500