 |
.Need tech support? Go ahead... Ask Bob about computers, technology, gadgets or the Internet! |
Search For Tech Help
|
Ask Bob Rankin search results: Firefox
Fake Antivirus Software
"Recently I got a popup warning me that a virus had infected my computer, and I needed to download some antivirus program to get rid of it. I did so, and later discovered it was a very slick FAKE security...
Internet Explorer 8 Versus Firefox
Should you use Internet Explorer version 8, or the new Firefox version 3.5? Which is better, faster, easier to use? Read on for my comparison of the latest versions of the two most popular browsers......
Geekly Update October 20
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 20th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Transfer Programs from XP or Vista to Windows 7
"I'm moving to Windows 7, but I'm worried about transferring all my existing programs to the new system. I would be a major hassle to re-install all my programs… what do you recommend?"...
Internet Explorer 8 Crashes
Many users report that Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 locks up or even crashes their entire PC, under a variety of circumstances. They want to know why. Here's the scoop......
Geekly Update September 29
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 29th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?
"Whenever I go to Microsoft's website, it nags me to install a thing called Silverlight. What is Silverlight, and do I really need it on my computer?"...
Geekly Update September 8
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 8th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update September 2
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 24th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update August 10
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 10th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update July 27
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of July 27th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update July 21
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of July 20th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
How to Hide Your IP Address
"I'm concerned about my online privacy, so I want to hide my IP address. How can I do this?"...
Geekly Update - June 22
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of June 22nd, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Twitter Tools Twelve
Using Twitter doesn't automatically make you cool. But if you put a bunch of these awesome Twitter tools, apps and addons to work for you, the chances of achieving a higher standing in the twittosphere are greatly increased......
Note Taking Tools
When I was a kid, research meant spending hours in the library, poring over dusty tomes, making notes on index cards, and then trying to organize it all. Today the wealth of information on the Internet can be tapped, annotated,...
Internet Explorer 8
"Should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 8? How does it compare to Firefox, when it comes to features, speed and security?"...
Private Browsing
"Some browsers now have a 'private browsing' mode which is supposed to eliminate your tracks while surfing the web. How well does this work in practice, and which browsers support the private browsing feature?"...
Portable Apps
Did you know that you can load up a flash drive with your favorite programs and run them on any computer, without installing, directly from the portable drive? Here's the scoop on portable apps......
Best Web Browser?
"I have friends who have stopped using Internet Explorer and they're always telling me that Firefox or some other browser is better. What are my choices, and which one is best for the average internet user?"...
Parental Control Software
"I have pre-teen children who are just starting to get interested in the Web. What parental control software do you recommend?"...
Download YouTube Videos
So you found the coolest video on YouTube, and you want to download it to your computer. But how do you download YouTube videos? There's no obvious way on the YouTube site, but there are some easy ways to download...
Gmail Labs
Gmail has been my favorite web-based email service for several years, and one of the things I like is that they're always adding new features and experimenting with various options to make it easier to use. Have you heard what's...
The Chrome Browser
Google is now in the browser business. Chrome is the name of Google's new web browser, aimed squarely at competing with Microsoft Internet Explorer. So how does Chrome differ from IE, Firefox, Safari and other browsers? Read on for details...
Online Photo Editing
"What do you recommend for quick photo editing when you're away from your own computer and you don't have PhotoShop or something similar available?"...
My Favorite Software
In the course of doing my job, I use certain programs on a regular basis. On any given day, I might be doing word processing, web design, programming, image editing, trouble shooting, and of course email and web surfing. Here...
Ubuntu Hardy Heron
"I'm hearing good things about the latest Ubuntu Linux. Is there anything compelling enough in the latest release to save me from installing Vista on my next machine? Kinda hoping so..."...
Ubuntu Linux Gutsy Gibbon
Is Linux ready for the masses? Or is it still a geeks club? The new Ubuntu Linux Gutsy Gibbon puts a little more polish on the Linux desktop and moves the focus toward everyday users. Check out the new features...
Mac OS X Leopard
Apple's newest operating system, released in the Fall of 2007, is Mac OS X Leopard. Like it's feline namesake, this OS is slick and sleek and features all the multimedia bells and whistles Apple users have come to expect. Since...
iTunes Alternatives
"I'm getting frustrated with iTunes for many reasons. Are there some good iTunes alternatives for Windows and Linux users?"...
Firefox Version 3
"I just read that Firefox 3 is now available. What new features does it have, and should I upgrade now, or wait a while?"...
What is Google Pack?
Google Pack is a collection of useful software programs that have been gathered together by Google. It was originally designed to accompany new computer packages as a starter set of productivity, office and entertainment software, but anyone can download the...
Facebook Applications
"On Facebook, I always get invitations to add 'applications' to my profile. Some sound interesting, but I'm not even sure what an application is. Are they part of Facebook, or something from the outside? Do I need to worry about...
Forgot Facebook Password
Did you forget your Facebook password? Having trouble logging in? Or did you forget the email address for your Facebook login? Maybe your email account is not working, so you can't change your password. Or maybe it's something with a...
Remembering Passwords
Passwords... we have a love/hate relationship with them. We love them because they are the first line of defense against fraud and identity theft. They protect the security of our email account, online banking and credit card purchases. We hate...
Ubuntu Linux Feisty Fawn
Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (Feisty Fawn), was recently released, and from installation to every day use, this version is the best so far. Read on to see what's new in this release for diehard Linux users and tire kickers, too......
Switching From Windows To Linux
If you thought computers only came in two flavors, think again. There are other operating systems besides Mac and Windows. In fact, most of the computers that power the Internet are running Linux. This free operating system is robust, secure...
Is Firefox More Secure?
Is Firefox more secure than Internet Explorer? Perhaps, for now, but they seem to be "catching up" in terms of the numbers of critical flaws discovered. And if you're running Windows Vista, the Firefox security problem gets worse......
Hiding Profile Items
"On a Myspace profile, how do I hide the location and last login? I've seen other pages like this and it seems like a good idea for extra privacy on Myspace."...
Secure Passwords
"With identify theft so common now, I'm concerned that my passwords may not be good enough. Can you give me some tips to picking good passwords that can't be easily guessed by hackers?"...
Switching From Windows to Mac
Devoted fans of Macs and PCs have been in heated debate for years, even before those "I'm a Mac", "I'm a PC" commercials ever appeared. Let's set aside the question of which camp is "right" and focus on the reasons...
Tricking Out Firefox
Firefox is an open source web browser that is rapidly gaining in popularity - approaching 100 million users worldwide and grabbing 15 percent of the browser market from Internet Explorer. A casual user might not even notice the difference between...
Anonymous Web Surfing
Going online can be like taking a walk in the park after midnight. Behind every tree there may be someone getting ready to mug you. This article will tell you how to surf the web with a higher level of...
Phishing Scams
"I got a note from my bank about phishing scams, but I'm still not sure what it means. Can you explain in simple terms what phishing is all about?"...
Is Firefox For Everyone?
Oh my... I can see the rotten tomatoes flying my way already. But I have a confession to make. I've tried Firefox on numerous occasions but I'm sticking with Internet Explorer, at least for now......
FireFox Extensions
"I switched to FireFox because I like some of the unique features it offers. I've heard people talk about Firefox extensions that sound really cool, but I'm not sure if they are safe to use, given all the concerns about...
Add Hard Drive Song to Myspace
"I have a song on my hard drive (an MP3 music file) and I want to add this song to my Myspace profile. I don't want to use a song from the Myspace Music library, the song is already on...
Linux Help
"I've heard a lot of buzz about Linux as a free alternative to Windows, but have hesitated because it seems a little geeky. Can you recommend an easy way to get started with Linux?"...
Add Music to Myspace
Have you ever visited a friend's Myspace profile and they had some cool music playing when the profile is displayed? Here's how you can add music to your Myspace profile......
Computer Restarts Itself
"My PC running on Windows XP frequently restarts it self for no apparent reason. Any files or internet pages I have been working on are lost. The PC reboots to the desktop and I have to redo all my work....
Eat Your Cookies
I often get mail from people who misunderstand or fear browser cookies, so I've written a a guide that tells you everything need to know about these tasty little critters. Read on for a closer look at the good, the...
Windows XP Security Tips
"Some of my geeky friends are telling me that Windows XP is full of security holes, and that I am putting my privacy at risk by going online with a Windows PC. Can you offer some tips to help me...
Free Internet Software
So, you've got a web browser and an email program... Is that all the Internet software you'll ever need? Maybe, but first take a look at some of the nifty tools that are reviewed in this article. I think you'll...
Clearing Browser History
"How do I clear the list of sites visited in my web browser? There are some nosy people in my office and I don't want them to be able to see what web sites I have visited."...
Firefox and Earthlink
"I've heard that I should switch to Firefox, but my ISP Earthlink tells me that Earthlink can only use Internet Explorer as its default browser and made it sound like I'd get into a bunch of trouble if I even...
What is RSS?
I keep hearing about RSS, XML and RSS feeds. I have only a vague idea of what they are, but then people start talking about RSS aggregators, and I get really confused. What are they talking about and why would...
Firefox and Roboform
I recently upgraded Firefox to 1.0.6 and downloaded the latest extension for the Roboform tool bar 6.4.0. Now I get error messages saying I don't have the latest extension for Roboform and specifies the one I installed. The toolbar doesn't...
Firefox Plugin Problem
A few months ago my FireFox autodownloaded a plugin called Zoomin. They then advised me that they had done this by a popup which instructed me to "click here to continue". When I clicked, the thing hacked my homepages (11...
Thunderbird Startup Folder
This is more of an annoyance than a true problem. I've been using Thunderbird since the pre-1.0 days, with Inbox being the default folder when the program starts. However, about a month ago Tbird decided that it would start at...
Sharing Browser Favorites
When I installed Firefox I was able to transfer favourites from Internet Explorer. I still use both browsers, so now that I have added more bookmarks to Firefox is it possible to share or transfer them to Internet Explorer?...
Firefox Consumes the CPU
No matter what I do, including extensive research on Firefox site and the Internet, I still get CPU usage of 99% with Firefox, and it won't go away. It stops my system until I shut it down with ctl-alt-delete. Sometimes,...
Firefox and Plugins
I'm running Firefox and I wish to install Adobe Acrobat reader 6.0. When I run the installer, a window pops up and says I need to install Windows Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, then aborts the install. I have no...
Thunderbird is Slow
I started using Mozilla Thunderbird early this year. About a month ago it started acting up. When I open the program it will take from five to fifteen minutes before it will start to download any messages. Once open, it...
How can I avoid computer viruses?
When I wrote in a previous entry "Do I need anti-virus software?" that "You CANNOT get a virus just by opening or reading your email" I fully expected it would unleash a torrent of emails in response. I knew this...
Do I need anti-virus software?
I have an unorthodox strategy for dealing with computer viruses. It doesn't involve the use of firewalls or anti-virus software. But if everyone understood the simple virus safety tips I'll outline here, the virus writers would get very bored very...
Search Tips
For best results, use just ONE or TWO keywords. This search engine looks for all words in any order. To search for an exact phrase, enclose the phrase in quotes. You may also use AND, OR, and NOT keywords to specify boolean expressions. For example:
"format drive"
spyware OR virus
phone NOT cell