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Jack's Favorite Free Windows Office Software

If all you need is a good word processor, a capable spreadsheet, presentation software, a drawing program, and database manager, then you don't need to buy Microsoft Office.

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Digital Dave

by Digital Dave

Digital Dave answers your tech questions.

Disk Image; Nostalgic Computer Games; Twitter Pop-up Not Wanted at This Time.

My Favorite Free Windows Office Productivity Software

by Jack Dunning

Rather Than Buy Microsoft Office, Millions Use the Free LibreOffice.

Either LibreOffice or Apache OpenOffice offer a viable alternative to Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, plus a few more useful tools.

Google Adwords Is Not for Everyone

by Jack Dunning

Common Google Adwords Mistakes

Google makes billions each year from its AdWords service by connecting businesses with Internet surfers. If you're using Google AdWords for your business, here are some cautions.

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

by Wally Wang

Updates From Apple

Updates From Apple; What to Expect at Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference; The Coming World of 3D; Playing in 3D; Everything is Going Digital; The Inspector.

Beyond Personal Computing

by Marilyn K. Martin

Has Technology Totally Taken Over Your Life?

Amusing anecdotes about high tech professionals.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

by ComputorEdge Staff

Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.

"Tablets vs Kindle," "Windows XP Paging File Monitor," "Gateway and Best Buy"

Send mail to ceeditor@computoredge.com with questions about editorial content.

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Copyright © 1997-2012 The Byte Buyer, Inc.

ComputorEdge Magazine, P.O. Box 83086, San Diego, CA 92138. (858) 484-1998

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Digital Dave

“Digital Dave answers your tech questions.”
by Digital Dave

Disk Image; Nostalgic Computer Games; Twitter Pop-up Not Wanted at This Time.

Disk Image

Dear Digital Dave,

I used Win 7's backup feature to create a "disk image" on my external HD. What is a "disk image"; does is contain all the system files?

Thanks!

Mike

Cardiff, CA

Dear Mike,

Yes, a disk image does contain all of the system files. In fact, it is an exact copy of everything on your drive at the time that it was made. If you have a hard drive failure, you should be able to use the disk image to restore the operating system, all programs, and data to the replacement drive.

A disk image is the most complete backup you can do. However, since it contains everything from the hard drive, it can become quite large. This is why we don't make a new disk image everyday for backup. We would soon run out of disk space. It is good to have at least one system image on your backup hard drive.

Digital Dave

Nostalgic Computer Games

Dear Digital Dave,

Why is it that computer games like Wing Commander and Red Storm Rising aren't adapted to the newer operating systems such as Windows 7?

Michael Davis

San Diego

Dear Michael,

I can only assume that these games were not updated by the original producer because there was not enough demand for them. In the case of Wing Commander, Electronic Arts, who acquired Origin Systems, the Wing Commander developer, discontinued work on the stand-alone games in favor of multi-user online games a number of years ago.

Fortunately, the Wing Commander games are all available for download from GOG.com (Good Old Games). This site sells classic games that are modified as much as possible to run well on modern systems. They also have no DRM (copy protection) and the prices are low. I know gamers that have had nothing but good experiences with GOG. They are reputable. I did not see Red Storm Rising at the site.

If you already own the game and it will play on Windows XP, then with the Professional version (or above) of Windows 7 you can install Windows XP Mode which should allow you to play XP compatible games.

I would guess that there are other similar games available for Windows 7. Perhaps other readers could recommend some.

Digital Dave

Twitter Pop-up Not Wanted at This Time

Dear Digital Dave,

Please advise how I may expunge/delete a pop-up "request for tweet"? This is an irritant blocking a portion of my screen. I suspect malware or virus threat. Would you agree?

Thanks,

Joe McGuire

San Diego, CA

Dear Joe,

I would suspect that the pop-up is caused by some sort of Twitter app before any type of malware—although I can't rule that out. Since you didn't specify what you're doing when this happens, I can only speculate.

If it is happening on your computer all the time, then it is probably an application which is loading at startup or running as a service. The quickest way to fix this (assuming you have a Windows computer) is to open System Configuration. You can do this by selecting Run... from the Start Menu and typing in "msconfig" (no quotes), then OK. (In Windows 7 and Vista you can type "system" into the Start search field and select System Configuration from the menu.) The System Configuration window will open (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. The System Configuration window in Windows 7 with the Startup tab selected.

There are two tabs of interest: Startup and Services. Select the Startup tab and look for any applications which may be Twitter associated. Uncheck them and click Apply. This will disable the launching of the app at startup. You will need to restart the computer for the change to take affect. (This is also a good time to disable any Startup items you no longer need or want. Depending upon what they are, these items will increase your startup time and may make your system drag.)

You can do the same thing with the Services tab. (You should check Hide All Microsoft Services at the bottom of the window. This will help prevent you from disabling something that you need.) You can also access Service through Control Panel => Administrative Tools => Services. In this Services window you can Start and Stop the service (or disable it through its Properties window)—all options are found under the Action menu.

If you want to permanently remove the programs, use the Control Panel item "Programs and Features" in Windows 7 and Vista or "Add and Remove Programs" in Windows XP.

If you are getting the pop-up when you're using a Web browser, check your Add-ons or Plug-ins for the offending app.

I don't use Twitter myself so I can't address it specifically. Maybe someone else who has had this problem can enlighten us on what it is and how it is solved.

Digital Dave

P.S. The more specific the information is when a question is submitted, the more likely that I will be able to come up with a relevant answer. In this case, I don't know what type of device is being used (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) or which operating system. But as you can see, a lack of information never stops me from answering. If I didn't answer Joe's question, I may have answered someone else's.

My Favorite Free Windows Office Productivity Software

“Rather Than Buy Microsoft Office, Millions Use the Free LibreOffice.”
by Jack Dunning

Either LibreOffice or Apache OpenOffice offer a viable alternative to Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, plus a few more useful tools.

One of the most notable free alternative business productivity programs is LibreOffice, an offshoot of the open source suite of software OpenOffice and a direct competitor to Microsoft Office. LibreOffice includes the major functions of MS Office with one major advantage: it's free. Supported by The Document Foundation (TDF), the free business applications offered present a direct challenge to Microsoft and may well change the way we look at obtaining software such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics and database apps.

Note: OpenOffice was originally owned by Sun Microsystems and was offered free, but when Oracle acquired Sun the attitude change. OpenOffice programmers formed The Document Foundation looking for Oracle to donate the OpenOffice.org brand. Oracle refused and asked the programmers to resign. They left in mass taking up the name LibreOffice. Later, Oracle donated OpenOffice to the Apache Software Foundation which put OpenOffice in an incubator status. There is a new release of OpenOffice now available indicating that Apache is having some success at getting support.

Since LibreOffice is a fork of OpenOffice, it is almost identical in most ways. However, as I viewed them side-by-side, I did see differences. LibreOffice is backed by companies such as Google, while Apache OpenOffice is now getting sponsorship from IBM. In the intervening time since the Oracle exodus, millions of lines of code have diverged between the two packages. It seems likely that both will continue without an ultimate consolidation. I can't say one is better than the other, but there is nothing stopping you from installing each. After all, they are both free. Most of what is included here applies to both LibreOffice and OpenOffice.

For years, I owned a copy of Microsoft Office 97. I would move it to my latest computer as I upgraded my hardware. Newer versions of Office would be released, but I would never upgrade because I didn't need a new program. The old one worked just fine. When I did use a newer version of Office on a colleague's computer, I was often frustrated. Microsoft had changed the look and feel just enough to confuse me. It seemed that every time a new program was released, I was not only supposed to pay again, but I was also forced to learn a new way of working.

When my copy of Office 97 disappeared, I resorted to whatever software was already installed on the computer (Notepad, WordPad). For the most part, they would do the job—with the exception of Microsoft Works, which was a real dog and the one program that would reliably crash.

LibreOffice is like a breath of fresh air. For the free download, you merely go to the LibreOffice download page. (The download page will recognize the computer that you're using and offer the appropriate version of LibreOffice.) It is available for Windows, Linux and Unix-like systems and the Mac. You can also get a portable version of LibreOffice packaged in PortableApps.com Format. It is about 200MBs of data to download, so if you have a slow Internet connection it may take a while. Once installed, you have immediate access to the six primary packages.

Word Processing

Word processing is certainly the backbone of any business software suite. It is the most-used type of software program and virtually every computer user will have a reason to load an editor of some type. The word processor in LibreOffice (see Figure 1) appears to have all the functionality of Microsoft Word, although I don't use Word enough to do a direct comparison. (If anyone has personal knowledge of where today's Word is superior to the LibreOffice word processor, I would like to hear about it so we can pass it along to other ComputorEdge readers.) From the first time I used the free document editor (at the time it was OpenOffice), I was as comfortable as I was when I used Office 97.

LibreOffice uses the Open Document format (ODT) originally developed by Sun, but LibreOffice appears to be compatible with the other commonly used document formats for reading and saving, such as the various versions of Microsoft Word.

Figure 1. LibreOffice Word Processing Document Editing Screen.

Spreadsheet

The spreadsheet was one of the earliest business uses of the computer. Designed to be a giant matrix-like calculator, it is used for everything from business plan financial projections to complex scientific calculations. Its claim to fame—once the spreadsheet is set up—is the completion of "What if?" scenarios. By adjusting key parameters (i.e., "What if the price of oil goes up?"), the new results are instantly recalculated and displayed.

Microsoft Excel, included in Office, is king of the spreadsheets. (Years ago Lotus 1-2-3 made its name by being the spreadsheet and an early major application for the IBM PC, but it has since succumbed to Excel.) Excel is so commonly used that courses and tutorials are regularly offered everywhere, including Rob the ComputorTutor's column here at ComputorEdge.com.

The LibreOffice spreadsheet works in the same manner as all traditional spreadsheets (see Figure 2). Many of the same techniques that apply to Excel also work for LibreOffice Spreadsheet—I ran a number of tests using my usual Excel techniques. (Rob the ComputorTutor wrote a series of columns about OpenOffice, the almost identical twin of LibreOffice, which have been combined into e-book format, EPUB for the iPad, NOOK, PC and MOBI for Amazon Kindle. These books will give you more information about how the programs in both productivity suites work.)

Figure 2. LibreOffice Spreadsheet Screen.

Presentation Software

Many business people (and students) live and die by their presentation software. The Microsoft name in this type of software is PowerPoint. It is included in most versions of Microsoft Office. Careers have been built by merely knowing how to create and edit PowerPoint presentations.

LibreOffice Presentation is software that directly attacks PowerPoint's primary position (see Figure 3.) I've rarely used PowerPoint, so I can't tell you if the OpenOffice version operates in the same manner, but I would suspect that it does. (Kids who use OpenOffice (LibreOffice) Presentation for their school presentations have told me that it's easy to use and compares favorably with PowerPoint.)

Figure 3. LibreOffice Presentation Software Screen.

Drawing Software

Drawing software differs from paint programs in that it is object oriented rather than canvas oriented. When you place something into a drawing program it stays as an individual object which you can later go back and independently alter. In a paint program, once an effect is released, it becomes part of the painting and cannot easily be altered without affecting the rest of the image. Paint programs are better for doing artistic work and photo touch up. Drawing software is better for diagrams, charts and page layout where reediting text and arranging objects is often necessary. I find that I use both with LibreOffice Draw as my layout program and Paint.NET (discussed in the article "My Favorite Free Windows Paint Program" two weeks ago) as my program for combining art with layout and text.

Which program (or combination) I use depends upon the requirements and complexity of what I need to do. I have not found one program that does everything that I want and continue to use other programs such as Irfanview and even Windows Paint to do certain tasks. LibreOffice Draw is one of the major packages included in the installation (see Figure 4). It's very good for creating drawings such as flow charts and has many features similar to those found in desktop publishing.

Figure 4. LibreOffice Draw Software Screen. Each box of text and image is a separate object .

I assume that Adobe Photoshop probably will do everything that can be done with the combination of graphics programs that I use, but I am not about to spend that kind of money for something that I only occasionally need to use.

Database Software

LibreOffice Base is an SQL relational database management system written in Java. It's based upon HSQLDB (Hypersonic SQL Project). From the manual, "In LibreOffice Base, you can access data that is stored in a wide variety of database file formats. LibreOffice Base natively supports some flat file database formats, such as the dBASE format. You can also use LibreOffice Base to connect to external relational databases, such as databases from MySQL or Oracle."

I've done a decent amount of database work, but I've only used LibreOffice Base to view databases I didn't produce. It looks like LibreOffice Base may be good for personal projects, and it can connect to other databases such as MySQL (Sun Microsystems again) and PostgreSQL through the OBDC or JDBC drivers. However, if you're serious about implementing database software for a larger application, you may be better off going directly to one of the two mentioned packages, both of which are free under a General Public License. Microsoft Office's database product is Access and has been used in many software applications.

Figure 5. LibreOffice Base database software screen.

Math Software

If you write in math, then you may find LibreOffice Math useful. You can either work with the program directly (see Figure 6) or invoke it by inserting a formula object into one of the other LibreOffice documents (Insert => Object => Formula). The Math program will open as an editor and the object in the document will retain its characters for later editing. The primary use for the Math module is to display mathematical formulas—a task that is difficult, if not impossible, in most word processing program (see Figure 6). I think that you already know if you're going to need this capability. It doesn't do math. It merely makes it look pretty. Calculating the math is up to you—or LibreOffice Calc spreadsheet.

Figure 6. LibreOffice Math formula writing screen.

Give It a Shot! You've Nothing to Lose

There are very few people that use every module of an office suite of software. That's why Microsoft offers variations of Office for students, business people, etc.—each with its own unique price tag. However, the primary packages required, and most used, are the word processing, spreadsheet and presentation apps. Next time you think that you need to spend a couple of hundred dollars for the latest software, you may want to take a look at LibreOffice (or OpenOffice). For most people, it includes everything that they'll ever need.

*                    *                    *

For more details about OpenOffice/LibreOffice and a comparison with Microsoft Office see the Getting Started with OpenOffice Free Software e-books by Rob the ComputorTutor (EPUB for the iPad, NOOK, PC and MOBI for Amazon Kindle).

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

Just released and available from Amazon, Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8! Also available at Barnes and Noble and ComputorEdge E-Books.

Available exclusively from Amazon, Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle.,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Now available, the four book Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (includes the primary tools or Windows 7, the Desktop, Start Menu, Windows Explorer and Taskbar (e-books listed individually below):

Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Or individually:

Windows 7 Desktop Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Desktop Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Start Menu Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Start Menu Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Explorer Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Explorer Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Taskbar Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Taskbar Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Google Adwords Is Not for Everyone

“Common Google Adwords Mistakes”by Jack Dunning

Google makes billions each year from its AdWords service by connecting businesses with Internet surfers. If you're using Google AdWords for your business, here are some cautions.

Almost everyday I get a call from someone who wants to manage Google AdWords for ComputorEdge. Google AdWords consists of the little text ads on the right side as well as the top of a Google search page (see Figure 1). Offering help with the Google service has become a huge business. The problem is that most of the people calling ComputorEdge to offer help know far less about Google AdWords than we do. They also make the assumption that everyone who has a business should be advertising on the Web, and in particular with Google AdWords. This is not true.

Figure 1. Google AdWords (red outlines) on search page of "computers San Diego."

While it is usually a good idea for a business to own and keep up a Web site, spending money to advertise that site is a totally different question. If a business doesn't know what it's doing, it's easy to pour a good deal of money straight down the drain. While Google (and other Web advertising companies) have tried to make it easy to advertise, it's not as simple as it might look. There are many easily made mistakes. I've seen computer savvy people with good business knowledge give up on Google AdWords in frustration after ineffectively dumping money into it. The two primary requirements for building an effective Google AdWords campaign is an understanding of business (especially yours) and a knowledge of how Google AdWords works.

There are some businesses which should not use Google AdWords at all. The key is making sure that your cost per click is lower than your generated revenues. If you are selling a specific product on the Web, then it is possible to track a prospect from an AdWords ad to the checkout page of your shopping cart. (It's a matter of adding some Javascript code to the confirmation page.) However, if you can't narrow down your target customer profile, you don't sell products over the Web, or the nature of your business is not easily quantifiable, then it may be difficult to produce measurable results.

There are many big companies that do advertising just to put their name out there. They have a budget (usually a percentage of sales) and plan to spend it all. You see them on television and hear them on the radio. They have also added Internet advertising to the mix, but they may have no idea if it works for them. They just want to reinforce their name. If you're a small business and don't have money to burn, then you can't afford to advertise in this manner. However, Google AdWords can be very effective for the right type of business.

Working with Google AdWords

It is simple enough to set up an account and place your first ad, but the various screens can be a little cryptic (see Figure 2). While putting in your first ad may be easy, there are quite a few steps for properly setting up an AdWords advertising campaign.

Figure 2. Google AdWords screen showing search keywords.

Rather than detailing the specific steps for starting a Google AdWords campaign (many books have been written on this topic), listed here are the most common mistakes which will cost you money. (For comprehensive Google AdWords information go to the AdWords Certification Program

Learning Center. Printed out it's a book over two inches thick.)

Google AdWords Mistakes to Avoid

Based upon experience with hundreds of different Google AdWords clients, we have seen numerous mistakes made by people setting up Google AdWords campaigns. These campaigns were usually accounts that we took over after the owner gave up—either through inexperience or a lack of time. Considering all of these points may save you a lot of heartache (and money) when you're setting up your Google AdWords.

Not Knowing How Your Customer Thinks

Not understanding how your customer thinks may be the number one mistake. Maybe you know your product and the people who buy, but do you analyze what they are thinking when they sit down at their computer to do a search.

For example, one of our AdWords clients markets a bidding and estimating software package in the construction industry. They know their customer very well. It would be natural to assume the advertising should be targeted toward those people looking for this type of bidding software. There are a couple of problems with this.

First, if someone does a search directly for this type of bidding and estimating software, our client's Web page already appears on the first page of the organic search at, or near, the top of the listings. A redundant AdWords ad on the right side of this page would be a waste of money. It could compete with the free exposure already available from the original search listing. The duplication would serve little or no purpose. If an alternative search target cannot be found, then an AdWords campaign will be pointless.

Second, when you look up the per click charges for anything which includes the keyword "software" the sky is the limit. There are so many people selling software on the Internet that the per click rates can be prohibitive. Competition from the numerous other "software" ads is increasing the cost. Even if the client didn't already have free first page placement, at those exorbitant rates it probably wouldn't make much sense to advertise.

The key is to get into the mind of the prospects while they are doing their job related Google searches. When these potential estimating software customers are putting together their bids, they search for the parts and materials needed for the new quote. If our clients bidding software AdWords ad appears on that same search page used by the people constructing the bids, then they are more likely to respond to an ad offering a way to make their bids "easier to do and more accurate." At the time of the search, they may not be looking for the bidding software, but the ad addresses their current problem—putting together an estimate for a new job. Often these alternative searches are less expensive and more effective when there is a response (click). Knowing how the prospect thinks while they do their routine Google searches helps you to make better keyword search term decisions.

Targeting the Wrong Person

Often AdWords campaigns are too general to bring in the right people. You pay every time the ad is clicked, so at the very least you want the person clicking qualified to buy. A business may sell pool tables, but are these tables for playing pool or are they tables which sit at the poolside? Without taking the time to narrow the target keywords, money will be wasted on useless clicks.

This often happens when using search terms which are too broad. If the search terms you use are too general or have alternative meanings, you will reach many people who have no interest in your products or services. You may think that everyone wants your offering, but you will be spending money on people who really don't. The more specific the search terms, the better. To make the filter more accurate use the different keyword match types (exact, phrase, broad).

Not Using Negative Keyword Match

One of the ways to eliminate ambiguity in your AdWords campaign is the negative keyword match type. Negative keyword matching is used to block the displaying of the ad when unwanted keywords appear in a search. In the pool table example used above negative matching words such as "swimming" would block many searches which target "swimming pool." Also, you may want to filter research keywords such as compare, prices, reviews, etc. since these people are in a research mode rather than a buying mode.

Not Creating Different Campaigns for Different Audiences

Some people will only use one campaign (the term for a set of ads and associated keywords). Not creating different campaigns for different audiences or products with different budgets will make it more difficult to increasingly target your customers and independently measure the success. Creating more narrow campaigns will give better and more relevant results.

Not Using Good Ad Design

Each Google AdWords text ad is severely limited in size. Selection of the right words is absolutely critical. You want to attract the right people and repel the wrong people. (You need to dissuade non-buyers from clicking on your ad. Don't think that your brilliant copy writing is going to persuade uninterested parties.) You have no words to waste, plus the ad needs to be relevant to the search terms and the landing page for a good Quality Score (see below). The ad needs to be concise and include a call to action ("download free software"). Including a phone number is a waste of space. They never call—they only click.

Not Testing Various Ads

Testing different ad text and keywords (creating multiple ad groups for different ad text/keyword groupings) helps to optimize your results and determine which ads are the most efficient. You can then adjust the campaign based on your target results.

Not Paying Attention to Quality Score

Each keyword has a Quality Score (which includes click through rate, Web site/ad text relevance, and landing page load time) which affects both placement and cost of your Google AdWords ad. The greater the correlation between the keywords, the ad text, and the landing page on your Web site, the higher the relevancy, the higher the placement of the ad on the page and the lower the cost per click.

Not Using Geographic Targeting

In Google AdWords it is possible to specifically target countries, states, cities and regions. This is why you often see local ads when you do a Google search. Naturally, if you own a business which depends upon local customers, you should do local targeting. However, if your product is for sale worldwide, why would you not target the entire country (or world)? To save money! Not all regions have the same cost per click. Since you are most likely limited by your budget. You will want to get the most for it by reducing your cost per click. By targeting less expensive areas, you can get more out of your budget.

Adding Google Display Network Too Soon

Google Display Network is a large group of affiliate Web sites which have signed up with Google to display their ads. While the display of these ads is based upon your keywords and preferences, if you have not had enough time to refine your campaign, you should opt out of the Display Network. We've seen people mount huge bills (without results) because they inadvertently left the Display Network activated when first setting up their campaign. Once you have a proven campaign, you can opt to include the Display Network.

Not Setting a Budget

Of critical importance is setting a budget which will limit your exposure on a daily/monthly basis. Without setting a budget, you could suddenly find yourself paying for much more worthless advertising than you ever planned. Once you have a proven advertising campaign, you can increase your budget as appropriate. Remember the goal is to generate more dollars than you spend. If that can't be done with your product of service, there is probably no reason to continue. You must see a return on your investment.

Not Using Reporting Tools Such As Google Analytics

To adjust your campaign you need to know the results, not merely how many people have clicked on your ad. Google AdWords has many built-in reports, but if you integrate it with Google Analytics running on your Web site, you can get even more valuable information, such as how many of those AdWords clicks are converting into sales.

Not Letting the Campaign Run

To get statistically valid information, you need to let the system (campaign) run long enough to gather data. If you change the campaign too often or close it down too soon, you will never get useful information. Making Google AdWords work for you takes time and patience. Regular checking of ad text, bids, keywords, etc. is necessary to improve results. When first running a campaign check it everyday to negative match keywords. After you see that you're getting the right type of searches, only make changes once a week to optimize.

Google AdWords is not a system that you can set up and just let it run with no attention—although many people treat it that way. (It is quite common for small businesses to set up their account, set a budget, and only think about it when they see it on their credit card bill—even then not bothering to visit their account.) The early stages are critical to making it work for you. Eventually, depending upon the type of business you have, you may make less frequent, although regular, visits to your AdWords account to monitor activity.

If you feel comfortable with computers, then you can probably teach yourself how to run your own Google AdWords campaign. However, there is a bit of a learning curve, so if you don't have the time to do it yourself or know someone who's experienced with AdWords, then you could be wasting your money.

*                    *                    *

Dunning and Associates is currently accepting new Google AdWords clients. If you would like to discuss whether it would be worthwhile to advertise with Google AdWords (or not), or if you would like to explore whether our services would be a good fit with your business, then call Jack Dunning at 858 494-1998. He will be happy to evaluate your situation and give an objective appraisal of whether Google AdWords is suitable for your business—or not. We have experienced personnel on staff who have worked with hundreds of different types of Google AdWords clients.

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

Just released and available from Amazon, Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8! Also available at Barnes and Noble and ComputorEdge E-Books.

Available exclusively from Amazon, Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle.,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Now available, the four book Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (includes the primary tools or Windows 7, the Desktop, Start Menu, Windows Explorer and Taskbar (e-books listed individually below):

Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Secrets Essential Bundle (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Or individually:

Windows 7 Desktop Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Desktop Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Start Menu Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Start Menu Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Explorer Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Explorer Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Windows 7 Taskbar Secrets (EPUB for iPad, NOOK, etc.)

Windows 7 Taskbar Secrets (MOBI for Amazon Kindle)

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

“Updates From Apple”
by Wally Wang

Updates From Apple; What to Expect at Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference; The Coming World of 3D; Playing in 3D; Everything is Going Digital; The Inspector.

Apple recently released two updates that you can get by clicking the Apple menu and choosing Software Update. The first is Mac OS X 10.7.4, which is the latest update to Lion, which fixes a flaw that exposed passwords used by the FileVault program to encrypt a hard disk. The second update is to Safari 5.1.7, which actively blocks outdated Flash players from running. The main purpose is to prevent people from running older versions of Flash that malware creators use to exploit and infect computers. Basically, the weakest security link in most computers these days are third-party programs like Flash or Java.

If you're running an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, the latest update is iOS 5.1.1, which patches some vulnerabilities in Safari. Just tap the Settings icon from the Home screen, tap General, and tap Software Update. Plug your iOS device into a power outlet to make sure it won't run out of power in the middle of the update, and after a few minutes, you'll be running a new version of iOS.

Here's something to watch out for though. Any time you update any computer, there's always a risk that the update will cause problems by interfering with another program. After updating my iPad 2 and the newest iPad to iOS 5.1.1, I found that the iPad 2 ran just fine but the newest iPad suddenly couldn't open the iBooks app. I just deleted the iBooks app and re-installed it and now everything works fine. For those who dislike surprises, you may want to wait a bit on any new update just to make sure they work as expected. Then you can let other people run into problems so you can learn from their mistakes. Eventually, you'll have to update your computer so don't always expect the update process to go smoothly.

What to Expect at Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference

On June 11, Apple will host their developer's conference. Other than offering the latest programming tips for writing Macintosh and iOS programs, the conference will likely reveal a handful of surprises.

The two most logical announcements will involve iOS 6 and Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and the latest features programmers can use. Rather than just announce both operating systems, there's a chance that Apple will actually officially release them.

If Apple officially releases Mountain Lion, then there's also a high probability that Apple will also announce new Macintosh models including the iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. The major rumored improvement to the new Macintosh will be a higher resolution screen to mimic the Retina display found on the current iPhone and iPad. In any event, if you're looking to buy a Macintosh, wait until the new models arrive since nearly every Macintosh model is due for an upgrade soon.

One interesting rumor claims that Apple will drop Google's map service and replace it with their own. A while back, Apple bought C3 Technologies (which offers 3D mapping feature) along with Placebase and Poly9, which offer directions similar to Google Maps. Apple appears to be steadily reducing their dependence on Google, especially after Android's appearance in the smartphone market.

The Patently Apple site offers another interesting rumor that Apple may be resurrecting their MacDraw program. Since Apple last updated their iWork office suite way back in 2009, it's possible that a revised version of MacDraw might appear in an updated iWork bundle or as a separate program altogether. Whether MacDraw appears or not, hopefully Apple will finally update all the programs in iWork (Pages, Numbers and Keynote).

Figure 1. Apple might offer a revised version of MacDraw.

The Coming World of 3D

If the introduction of low-cost color laser printers seemed like a gift from the technological gods, then brace yourself for the arrival of 3D printers, which can create solid objects. The simplest 3D printers can make plastic items, but the more complicated ones can use metal and other materials.

Visit the TurboCAD site and you'll see options to purchase your own 3D printer for your home or office. Since TurboCAD lets you design three-dimensional objects, it's natural that you might want to use a 3D printer so you can create physical objects from your designs.

Figure 2. The TurboCAD site is selling 3D printers.

While 3D printers may currently be useful for CAD (computer-aided design) users, the plummeting cost of 3D printers promises to open up new opportunities for creative people outside the traditional CAD field. If you think 3D printers are too expensive, you can buy a Solidoodle 3D printer for just $499.

Figure 3. The Solidoodle 3D printer makes plastic 3D printing affordable to everyone.

Armed with such inexpensive 3D printers, dentists can make molds of teeth, doctors can make molds of bones, and architects can make models of their buildings. Think you have a great idea for a new tool or product? Design it on your computer, then print it on your 3D printer so you can hold and manipulate your design to see if it works as intended.

In the old days, designing a model meant carving it out of wax, wood, or clay, and then hoping your design would look close to what you created on a computer. Now you can skip this labor-intensive step and get your exact design on a 3D printer whenever you want. Make a change, then print out another design.

With the $499 cost of the Solidoodle, it's only a matter of time before additional 3D printers arrive at lower price points. While most people may not have a use for a 3D printer (yet), you can be sure that those who do get one will find interesting uses for them. Make your own toys? Design your own plastic kitchen tools? Create your own custom cases? 3D printing is going to be here before you know it, so start thinking up creative uses for how you might use a 3D printer in your home or office. Who knows? You just might hit upon a million dollar idea if you take advantage of future opportunities right now.

Playing in 3D

You've already seen 3D creeping into movie theaters and big screen TVs. Eventually it's going to appear in photography and computer screens as well. If you have an iPad with a camera, you can get a glimpse of the future from 3D photography by downloading a copy of AutoDesk's 123 Catch app.

Just take multiple pictures of any object from different angles and then upload your images to AutoDesk to process them into a 3D image. Now as a 3D image, you can manipulate them on your iPad.

Figure 4. Viewing a 3D image in the 123 Catch app.

Eventually, all digital cameras will have the option of capturing 3D images. Hollywood can already take old movies and turn them into 3D, so tomorrow your camera will either be able to capture 3D directly or you'll be able to turn existing images into 3D as well.

Toss in a screen that can display 3D images without requiring special glasses and you can already see where the future tablet and smartphone markets are heading. Capture 3D images or videos on a smartphone and then view them on your iPad. 3D screens will simply make today's screens look dull and flat.

AutoDesk already knows that the 3D market can only get bigger. For another 3D app for the iPad, grab a copy of their 123 Sculpt, which lets you manipulate virtual clay figures on the iPad. You can start with a basic shape like a block or a pre-defined shape of a man, a dog, or a plane. Now pull, mold and twist your virtual clay into a 3D object that you can proudly show off to others without once getting your hands dirty from touching real clay.

Figure 5. 123 Sculpt lets you mold virtual clay in your hands.

Naturally once you capture 3D pictures or sculpt 3D clay images using AutoDesk's apps, you can further refine your designs using AutoDesk's software. If you have a 3D printer, you could then print your 3D designs out.

AutoDesk isn't wasting time creating software to manipulate 3D images just for fun. They know that 3D printing and 3D screens are the future, so it's only a matter of time before the future catches up to AutoDesk's vision and all their hard work will pay off when 3D screens and printing finally arrives.

Compare AutoDesk's forward-thinking to a dinosaur company like Kodak that reportedly sent annual surveys to their customers, asking if they preferred film or digital photography. Naturally, Kodak's customers overwhelmingly preferred film, which gave Kodak justification to stay with film. If you had already switched to digital photography and stopped using Kodak's film services, you didn't receive Kodak's survey, so your vote would never even be counted.

By restricting their survey to existing film customers, Kodak could get the exact answers they wanted (stay with film) that they had already decided upon ahead of time. By ignoring evidence pointing towards the future and searching for justification to stay the course, Kodak guaranteed their own obsolescence.

People behave no differently than corporations like Kodak and AutoDesk, so decide for yourself if you want to be part of the future like AutoDesk or become roadkill stuck in the past like Kodak. Whatever you decide, you can already see how it will eventually turn out.

Everything is Going Digital

In the old days, there used to be software stores with names like Egghead Software or Software Etc., which sold boxes of different software for mostly the PC market. The biggest problem with software stores was that software tended to change rapidly, which made version 1.0 of a program relatively useless the moment version 2.0 arrived. Toss in the high cost of running a retail store and it was inevitable that software stores would gradually disappear.

Nowadays, you'll only find software sold in office supply stores like Staples and Office Depot along with a handful of electronics stores like Fry's Electronics. Besides the short shelf-life of software, retail outlets also face the problem of stocking the software that they think people might want. Walk into any office supply store and you'll find plenty of software available, yet there's a high probability that you won't find everything that you might need. Retail stores can only stock a limited number of software titles, which means most people will likely not find what they want, especially when it's much easier to go online and find exactly what you need.

Since the retail market for software is rapidly drying up, companies like Adobe have to adapt. That's the reason why you can now buy Adobe Lightroom directly from the Mac App Store. Not only does the Mac App Store offer you a huge variety of software that you'll never find in a retail store, but you'll never risk buying an old copy of a program. The moment that your software becomes out of date, the Mac App Store will alert you that there's an update available that you can download and install immediately.

With boxed copies of software, lose your DVD or the serial code and your entire investment in the software goes down the drain. By downloading software directly from the Mac App Store, you'll always be able to reinstall the software at a later date without having to store a DVD anywhere along with a serial code printed on a piece of paper.

For software publishers, the Mac App Store gets your product in front of a global market of prospects. Put your software in a retail store and you not only have the cost of packaging your software, but your software might languish on the shelves if you're selling Macintosh software in a store where most customers own Windows PCs such as Staples or Office Depot. Put your software in the Mac App Store and even the smallest software publisher can reach a global market of Macintosh owners who are the only people likely to buy the software in the first place.

The advantages of digital distribution far outweigh the advantages of any form of print. Print is simply too costly and inflexible to react to rapid change in all fields from software to book publishing. If you're printing a novel, then there's not much advantage in digital distribution besides the lack of bulk and weight of a digital e-book compared to a printed one. However, if you're printing a technical book, digital distribution lets you update the information rapidly and correct inevitable errors that may have crept in. For displaying current and updated information, digital distribution of information far outweighs printed books.

The Pew Research Center took a survey comparing print and e-books and found that printed books were only favored by people reading to a child or for people who wished to share a book with others. All other advantages, such as traveling with a book, favored e-books.

Figure 6. E-books are more popular than printed books for most activities.

Printed books will likely always retain the advantage of sharing since e-book sharing can easily turn into rampant piracy in ways that printed books could not. However, it's only a matter of time before interactive children's e-books prove more engaging and interesting than ordinary printed children's books that strive for interactivity with paper slides that move or cardboard figures that pop up when you open a page.

Digital distribution of both software and books promises more advantages than disadvantages, which means the next time you buy software or a book, chances are good you'll get it as a digital file.

*                    *                    *

Most people have a hard time adapting to change. One reason why people stubbornly stick with programs like Microsoft Word is because they don't want to take the time to learn something else, even if that alternative is better than what they're already using.

If you're thinking about switching to any of Apple's iWork software (Pages, Numbers, or Keynote), you'll notice that almost all of Apple's software uses something called an Inspector. Click on the Inspector icon and the Inspector window pops up, which lets you modify different settings for an item such as a document or an image stored in a document. The general rule of thumb is that any time you want to modify something beyond basic editing (moving, deleting, resizing), just select the item you want to change and make those changes in the Inspector window. Once you understand how the Inspector window works, you can use it whenever you use another program created by Apple.

Figure 7. The Inspector window is a common feature in most of Apple's software.

In the early days, before Wally became an Internationally renowned comedian, computer book writer, and generally cool guy, Wally Wang used to hang around The Byte Buyer dangling participles with Jack Dunning and go to the gym to pump iron with Dan Gookin.

Wally is responsible for the following books:

My New Mac, Lion Edition

My New iPad 2

Steal This Computer Book

Microsoft Office 2010 For Dummies

Beginning Programming for Dummies

Beginning Programming All-in-One Reference for Dummies

Breaking Into Acting for Dummies with Larry Garrison

Strategic Entrepreneurism with Jon and Gerald Fisher

How to Live with a Cat (When You Really Don't Want To)

The Secrets of the Wall Street Stock Traders

Mac Programming For Absolute Beginners

99% Fairy Tales (Children's Stories the 1% Tell About the Rest of Us)

The Zen of Effortless Selling with Moe Abdou

The 15-Minute Movie Method

In his spare time, Wally likes blogging about movies and writing screenplays at his site "The 15 Minute Movie Method." Wally can be reached at wally@computoredge.com.

Beyond Personal Computing

“Has Technology Totally Taken Over Your Life?”
by Marilyn K. Martin

Amusing anecdotes about high tech professionals.

It may have sneaked up on you: you were playing adult video games by age six, completely took apart and put back together your parents' desktop by eight, completely reprogrammed your father's work computer by twelve, were virtually teaching your school's Computer Class by fourteen, and then were accepted to MIT by sixteen...and now you live and breathe computers, are being scouted by thirty start-ups every week, and wonder what all the fuss is when you show up for work in mismatched shoes. You know what's really important in life. Right?

Your Life Might be Technologically Impaired if...

1) You can't sit through an entire movie without having at least one device on your body ringing, beeping or vibrating.

2) You need to fill out a form that says it must be typewritten, but you can't. Mainly since you have no idea where to find typewriter, since you are surrounded by just computers with laser printers.

3) You look down on people with a computer that isn't a Mac, a cell phone that isn't an iPhone, and anyone who didn't get their computer chops at MIT.

4) When you visit computer stores, you always butt into conversations between salespeople and customers to "correct" the salesperson. Then spend the next half hour answering all the customer's questions, while the salesperson stands nearby just nodding.

5) You find yourself attracted to groups of people where you can say "digital compression" and not have to explain it.

6) On vacation, you read computer manuals instead of fiction.

7) The thought that a CD could refer to finance or music rarely enters your mind.

8) When you hear Wow!, you think World of Warcraft.

9) You have ended friendships over irreconcilable differences over whether a trackball or mouse is better.

10) You long for the day when Google comes out with tiny little GPS devices for your important personal stuff (keys, remote, smartphone, child, pet), tied to a graphical representation of your house, so you'll never lose them again.

A Man Goes into a High Tech Bar...

...and notices that the bartender is an android. The man orders a martini. The robot bartender returns with a superb martini, then asks the man, "Sir? What is your IQ?" The man replies, "Oh, about 164." The robot then proceeds to discuss the Theory of Relativity, interstellar space travel, and the latest medical and scientific discoveries. The man is duly impressed.

Another man comes into the bar, sits down, and orders a glass of red wine. The robot bartender gets him a glass of their best blush wine, and asks, "Sir? What is your IQ?" The man replies, "Oh, about 130." The bartender then engages him in the various properties of his favorite wines, sports-talk, new television shows and movies, and the technology of the newest cars on the market.

Another man then comes into the bar, sits down, and orders a beer. When the robot bartender gets him his requested brand of beer in a frosted mug, he asks, "Sir? What is your IQ?" The man replies, "Oh, I think I tested out as average, about 100." The robot bartender then leans close and says, "You do know my kind is ready to take over your job, right?" The man takes a long drink of cold beer, then replies, "Then you must also know that my one-person company is called Sledgehammer Computer Parts."

And You Probably Started Young—in the Computer Lab

1) Did you ever arrive early to connect each computer to a different monitor?

2) Did you assign a musical note to every key on the keyboard, then hummed each note loudly when you hit each key—and proceeded to write a whole paper that way?

3) Did you spend hours on the lab's most powerful computer trying to connect to the International Space Station?

4) Did you constantly correct the computer lab instructor, ending with "I mean, that's the way they've done it for decades at MIT."

5) Did you ever stare at the person's screen next to yours, burst out laughing, then loudly said "You really did that?", then exited the lab while still laughing?

6) Did you bring in a laptop to a lab, hook it up to a desktop, and baffle everyone as you played the same game using both computers, with characters running back and forth, right and left, from one screen to the other?

You Instantly Know How To Interpret High Tech Jargon

• All New! (Parts not interchangeable with previous design)

• Exclusive! (Meaning, imported)

• Foolproof Operation! (No provisions for adjustments)

• Advanced Design! (Even the advertising agency doesn't understand it.)

• It's Here At Last! (Rush job; nobody knew it was coming)

• Field-Tested! (Manufacturer lacks test equipment)

• Direct Sales Only! (Factory had a big argument with their distributor)

• Years In Development! (They finally got one that works)

• Futuristic! (No one can figure out why it looks the way it does)

• Maintenance-free! (It's impossible to fix.)

• Meets All Standards! (Theirs, not yours)

• All Solid State! (Heavy as hell.)

• Microprocessor Controlled! (Does things even the manufacturer can't explain)

• Aerospace Technology! (One of their techs was laid off by Boeing)

You See No Irony In These Strange Behaviors

1) You know Bill Gates' e-mail address, but have to look up your own social security number.

2) You sign Christmas cards by putting :) by your name.

3) You go to computer trade shows and map out your path around the exhibit hall in advance, but you cannot give someone directions to your house without looking up the street names.

4) You own a set of itty-bitty screwdrivers, and actually know exactly where they are.

5) You have a top-of-the-line computer and printer, but your toaster and coffee maker are at least a decade old.

6) You have no hesitation naming your child LMAO or ROFL.

Are You A Slave To Technology?

The University of Kent (England) Psychology faculty set up a series of experiments in early 2011 to test how technological distractions (blinking Blackberries, pinging e-mail arrivals, ringing phones) can destroy your concentration. They set up an experimental "reading laboratory" with eyeball-tracking. As the participants read, they were periodically interrupted by one-minute messages. Most participants then went back to reading, but had to re-read a substantial portion of what they'd read before the interruption.

Lead researcher, Ulrich Weger, continued the research using himself as the guinea pig. "The best thing to do is to try and avoid interruptions in the first place. Often people don't really need to respond to an interruption, but do so because it's tempting," he concluded. Here are his suggestions to not let all your technology devices fragment your concentration and must-do tasks during the day:

1) Leave a mark on your reading material to show where you left off, before responding to a device.

2) Turn off attention-sappers, like automatic call or e-mail notifiers.

3) Arrange your desk so it doesn't point to anything distracting, like people walking by.

4) Try concentration exercises to not be diverted by tempting technological devices.

5) Try to make use of high tech devices to make your life easier, while maintaining enough inner strength and freedom to avoid dependence. If not, you become a slave to technology.

And You Don't Ever Want to Receive a Letter Like This...

My Darling Husband -

I am sending you this letter in a bogus software company envelope so that you will be sure to read it. Please forgive the deception, but I thought you should know what's been going on in our lives since you became a High Tech Professional.

The children are doing well. Tommy is 7 now and is a bright, handsome boy. He has developed quite an interest in the arts. He drew a family portrait for a school project. All the figures were good, but yours was excellent! Your computer chair and the back of your head were very realistic.

Little Jennifer turned 3 in September. She is an attractive child and quite smart. She still remembers how you spent the entire afternoon with us on her birthday. The raging thunderstorm and power outage didn't bother her a bit.

I am also doing well. I went blonde about a year ago, and was delighted to discover that it really is more fun. Lars—I mean, Mr. Swenson—my department supervisor, has taken an interest in my career and has become a good friend to all of us.

The house is in good shape. I had all the rooms painted last spring. I made sure the painters cut air holes in the drop cloth so you wouldn't smother. I've also got quite good at vacuuming around you, although I occasionally forget that the feather duster makes you sneeze.

I must be going. Lars—Mr. Swenson, I mean—is taking us all on a ski trip, and I have to pack. I've hired a housekeeper for you while I'm gone. She'll keep things in order, fill your coffee cup and bring your meals to your computer desk, just the way you like it.

Tommy, Jennifer and I think of you often. Try to remember us fondly while your discs are booting.

Love, Your Wife

(Most of these amusing anecdotes can be found on multiple Internet joke sites. But special thanks to Computerjokes.net and Ourfunnylists.com.)

Marilyn is a freelance writer and humorist, with a special interest (besides computers and technology) in Science Fiction. A SF Horror story appeared in July 2011 in Deadman's Tome. And in January 2012 she had a SF Police Procedural appearing in Cosmic Crime magazine, and a SF Dystopian Romance appearing in the Strange Valentines anthology. She also has almost seventy articles on Helium.com, and is writing a humorous Young Adult SF series, Chronicles of Mathias. Volumes One and Two have received a "Gold Star for Excellence" from TeensReadToo.com, and are available from most on-line bookstores.

ComputorEdge E-Books has converted many of Marilyn's computer humor columns into four e-books.

* Computer Confusion in Paradise: Lo! And in the Beginning There Was Total Befuddlement!, in both EPUB format for iPad, NOOK, etc., and MOBI format for Amazon Kindle.

* Computer Hardware: "Parts Is Parts", in both EPUB format for iPad, NOOK, etc., and MOBI format for Amazon Kindle.

* Computerholics Anonymous: PC Users, Abusers and Confusioners, in both EPUB format for iPad, NOOK, etc., and MOBI format for Amazon Kindle.

* My Computer, My Nemesis: Bravely into the Smiley-Face Virtual Void!, in both EPUB format for iPad, NOOK, etc., and MOBI format for Amazon Kindle.

* All four e-books can be found at our E-Book Store.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

“Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.”
by ComputorEdge Staff

"Tablets vs Kindle," "Windows XP Paging File Monitor," "Gateway and Best Buy"

Tablets vs Kindle

[Regarding the May 4 Digital Dave column:]

Due to vision problems, we've been wondering about these products in relation to font size adjustment, but alas, Dave didn't go into that aspect...so we're off to browse at Best Buy to see what we find out.

-Jan Mayer, Murrieta, CA

[The font size is relative easy to adjust in all tablets—often with a reverse pinch gesture. —Dave]

I have both the Kindle and the Kindle Fire. With the Kindle I purchased a leather cover with a built in light. You cannot read the Kindle in a dark room. A light must be on. However, with the Kindle Fire there is a back light. I love both of them and it was hard to choose. You do not have Internet access with the Kindle, Kindle Fire you do. It is a 50-50 decision. A matter of your choice.

-Lynne Legare, Magnolia, TX

[Actually, all versions of the Kindle have Internet access of some form, although you are limited by the included Kindle Web browser. They all have Wi-Fi capability and the two more expensive models have free 3G wireless. —Dave]

A thought I forgot...on both the Kindle and the Kindle Fire you are able to choose your font size. For reading without your glasses make the font big!

-Lynne Legare, Magnolia, TX

Windows XP Paging File Monitor

[Regarding the May 4 Digital Dave column:]

From my experience, a router, whose name starts with a "L" had serious problems with heat and caused many problems with dropped connections. Another router, whose name starts with a "D" exhibited the same type of problem after some hours of idleness. This router I turned upside down and put the power supply at the top. This seemed to help the problem.

In another case, I think the 512MB memory is the problem in that the download starts at an acceptable rate, but soon slows way down. I will try the increase in paging file size to see if this will compensate for the memory restrictions. I'm thinking a newer unit that allows more memory is really the answer. Don't you agree?

-Bob D:), Vista, CA

[As a rule, adding more memory will always show more improvement than messing with the paging file. —Dave]

"To adjust the size of the paging file open Computer Management ..."

"To monitor the activity of your paging file, open the Performance window ..."

Dave, thank you. Exactly what I needed.

-Peter, Los Angeles, CA

Gateway and Best Buy

[Regarding the May 4 ComputorQuick Reviews column:]

In 2007, ACER bought Gateway. Maybe that is the answer to this man's issue.

-Zman, Escondido, CA

No doubt since Acer bought out Gateway and that they've commingled stuff to the extent that the laptop doesn't know what it is. Not that it's totally bad, though. I don't believe Acer is bad product.

I would be interested in where exactly the Identity Card file was found and what the name of the file was that contained it.

-John H, Encinitas, CA

Moral of this story: quidado con productos de Gateway.

-Joe McGuire, San Diego, CA

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