2006 March

You’ll have to allow me a personal tangent today.
On the evening of my brother’s wedding, my family learned that Nanny (our name for grandma) had suffered a third stroke, with the second one just days before, and the first one striking her several years ago with crippling effects. For years, she had to relearn [...]

Sometimes you have files that you just want to get rid of. The problem is that your computer thinks you are still using them or you still need them. The solution? Download Force Delete.
Here is what the developer of Force Delete has to say.
This program’s purpose is to remove files or [...]

Sometimes you just need to get away from everything that represents normality in your life and take a vacation. You can only take the same old thing for so long before you begin to let your mind drift to that favorite vacation spot that you wish you could stay at forever. Unfortunately, most of us [...]

This series has included many anecdotes about my clients and other seniors who have had a variety of problems on the road to computer literacy. For a change of pace, here is a story on me that shows how even the tutor can be thrown off balance.
For a mail client, I use [...]

An alternative method for encrypting files is the use the Cipher.exe command line utility. It can be used to encrypt, decrypt, and view the status of folders and files. The various switches that can be used with the command are outlined below.

The /E switch is used with the Cipher command to set encryption.
The /D [...]

There are two things to keep in mind when it comes to system requirements. First of all you need to make sure that your hardware is supported by Windows Server 2003. Second you need to make sure that your hardware meets at least the minimum requirements outlined by Microsoft to run the operating system. [...]

I just moved and was not able to check my email for 3-4 weeks. Will I still receive emails sent in that time period?
Probably, but it depends on a couple of things: the rules that your email provider might impose and just how popular you are.
But it is definitely something worth planning ahead for.
Personally I [...]

For the zillion of you who have asked me for Windows Live Messenger (note - this is for Live Messenger, not Mail!) invitations, Trevin says this link will let you sign up even without an invitation now.
Or, if you want to feel extra-special through personal treatment, email me (greg-at-greghughes-dot-net, you know) and tell me something [...]

We’ve had Dugan running our house now for a month, and I have dogs on my mind (and a miniature schnauzer asleep in my lap as I write this column).
So with that, today’s Family First site celebrates the dog of the day. In fact, it’s called Dog of the Day!
Every day, a new dog is [...]

Have you ever lost something important… or a backpack full of important items (like your cell phone, laptop, PSP, etc.)? It happened to me. I “lost” it at the airport - and when I say I lost it (the knapsack), I mean I totally almost lost it (mentally). We picked up our luggage and headed [...]