Software Articles
More: All Categories
What Is Java and Do I Need It?
Many websites tell you they have a "Java application" to show you and you need to enable Java on your end to run it. Is Java safe? Are there any potential downsides to installing it? Read on to find out...
Continue reading "What Is Java and Do I Need It?"...What Is Picasa?
Picasa is a free photo editing and management application offered by Google. It offers many photo editing, organization and online storage features that photo buffs will find useful. Here's my review of Picasa...
Continue reading "What Is Picasa?"...Download Accelerator
"I download large files often, and I've noticed that my download speed varies quite a bit. Aside from upgrading my Internet connection, what can I do to accelerate my downloads?"
Continue reading "Download Accelerator"...Free DVD Burning Software
"I want to create a backup of my photos and home videos, but I have several gigabytes of data, so I want to put it all on DVD discs. Can you recommend any free DVD burning software?"
Continue reading "Free DVD Burning Software"...Microsoft Office Web Apps
Office Web Apps is Microsoft's answer to Google Docs and other online office apps. Even if you don't have MS Office installed on your computer, you will be able to create, edit, save, and share Office documents with other people - all in your web browser...
Continue reading "Microsoft Office Web Apps"...Piggyback Downloads
"Suddenly my web browser is cluttered with toolbars that I never asked for. I delete them, but sometimes they come back. Why is this happening, and how do I get rid of all those unwanted toolbars?"
Continue reading "Piggyback Downloads"...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?"
Continue reading "What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?"...Alternatives to Adobe Reader
"I have to deal with a lot of PDFs, and Adobe Reader just takes too long to open. Are there any good, free alternatives for PDF viewing?"
Continue reading "Alternatives to Adobe Reader"...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, and organized with easy-to-use web research and note taking tools. Here's how...
Continue reading "Note Taking Tools"...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...
Continue reading "Portable Apps"...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?"
Continue reading "Parental Control Software"...Free Registry Cleaners
"I've heard conflicting stories on the effectiveness of registry cleaners. Do they really help? If so, which registry cleaner do you recommend?"
Continue reading "Free Registry Cleaners"...Cloud Computing
"I'm hearing the term Cloud Computing more and more. One friend told me that it means computers will soon not need a hard drive. Is that correct?"
Continue reading "Cloud Computing"...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?"
Continue reading "Online Photo Editing"...Accessing Blocked Websites
If you are a student, employee, or part of the military, you've probably experienced the frustration of not being able to access certain websites or even your webmail. Fortunately there are some things you can do to access these blocked sites. Here's how...
Continue reading "Accessing Blocked Websites"...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 are some of my favorite software applications to get the job done...
Continue reading "My Favorite Software"...iPhone Jailbreak Applications
"I've heard that there are a bunch of really cool programs that will run on my iPhone, but it requires something called a jailbreak. How is that done? Is it safe, and will it void my iPhone's warranty?"
Continue reading "iPhone Jailbreak Applications"...Free Online Word Processors
"Microsoft Word is so expensive... are there free alternatives? I'd really like a full featured web-based word processor that allows me to access and store documents online, instead of my hard drive."
Continue reading "Free Online Word Processors"...What is GnuCash?
"I've heard that GnuCash is a free accounting program, similar to Quicken. So it's free, but how does it compare with Quicken or Microsoft Money, for basic household or small business accounting?"
Continue reading "What is GnuCash?"...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 free Google Pack software from the Google website.
Free Anti-Virus Programs
"I've been using the free Norton antivirus package that came with my computer, but the subscription will expire in a few days. Are the free anti-virus programs any good? What do you recommend?"
Continue reading "Free Anti-Virus Programs"...World Of Warcraft
"My nephew plays the World of Warcraft online game for hours at a time. I've watched a little bit, but don't really understand the game, or its appeal. Can you explain what the World of Warcraft game is all about, who plays it, and why?"
Continue reading "World Of Warcraft"...Office Format Converters
"I recently upgraded to Microsoft Office 2007, and I have a problem. When I save a document or spreadsheet in an Office 2007 program, other people cannot open it. It seems the file is incompatible with other versions of Office. Do they need a converter to open my files?"
Continue reading "Office Format Converters"...Instant Messaging
Instant Messaging (IM) services allow you to connect directly with other computer users and engage in text, audio or video conversations. Unlike email, blogs or chat rooms, instant messaging provides real time one-to-one conversations. Here's the scoop on the most popular IM software packages...
Continue reading "Instant Messaging"...Burn ISO Image
"I just downloaded an ISO image file for a Linux install, but I can't figure out how to burn the ISO image to a CD. Can you help?"
Continue reading "Burn ISO Image"...Photo Editing Software
"I take a lot of pictures with my digital camera, but the photo editing software that came with the camera is pretty lame. I looked into Adobe Photoshop but WOW it's expensive! Are there some good photo editors that are more affordable?"
Continue reading "Photo Editing Software"...Voice Recognition
Didja ever notice that Captain Kirk never had to fuss with a mouse or keyboard to communicate with the computer on the Star Trek? He simply spoke direct commands at the machine, and the computer complied. Happily, voice recognition technology has moved from the bridge of the Enterprise to your home computer. Here's how to get started with voice computing...
Continue reading "Voice Recognition"...Run Windows On Mac
Why choose between Windows and Mac? Now you can run BOTH operating systems side-by-side on your Mac desktop. Here's the scoop on how to run Windows on your Mac...
Continue reading "Run Windows On Mac"...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 why some people choose a Mac over a PC, and the major differences between the two operating systems, for the benefit of those who are considering a switch from Windows to a Mac...
Continue reading "Switching From Windows to Mac"...Recover Deleted Files
It's happened to all of us at some point. One stray mouse click, and poof! You've deleted a file that you did not mean to. But must it really be the final goodbye to that file? Happily, there are tons of tips and tools available to recover deleted files from the nether regions of a hard drive...
Continue reading "Recover Deleted Files"...Convert WMA to MP3
"I have lots of music in WMA (Windows Media Audio) format but I want to convert it to MP3 for my iPod. How can I convert WMA to MP3?"
Continue reading "Convert WMA to MP3"...Free Office Software
"I just got a new computer but it doesn't have Microsoft Word. And the Microsoft Office package is WAY expensive... are there any good alternatives for cheap or free office software?"
Continue reading "Free Office Software"...Download With Bittorrent?
"I've been told that I can download movies and even popular software for free using Bittorrent. Sounds too good to be true… What exactly is Bittorrent, is it legal, and safe to use?"
Continue reading "Download With Bittorrent?"...Play WMV on Mac
"I have a WMV (Windows Media) video file. But of course I don't have Windows Media Player on my Mac. Can I play this video with QuickTime on the Mac, or convert it to MPEG format?"
Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG
"I purchased videos on iTunes, but I can't play them on my video player, because they are in some 'protected' M4V format that only works on iPods. How can I convert iTunes videos to MPEG or WMV format so I can play them on MY portable video device?"
Continue reading "Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG"...LimeWire - File Sharing
"My kids are using something called LimeWire to download music and videos. They call it a a P2P file sharing program. Can you explain what that means, and how safe it is to use?"
Missing or Damaged DLL files
"When my uncle's PC is powered up he gets message CAN'T LOAD MSMGR32.DLL -- I have to click on it three times until the message no longer displays. Is there a way to keep the message from displaying, or do I need to reload the whole system?"
Continue reading "Missing or Damaged DLL files"...Best Educational Software and Technology
My youngest daughter learned phonics and reading skills on my lap at the age of three, then went on to read every book and encyclopedia in the house. We had to go to yard sales, just to keep up with her voracious appetite for learning. I was hesitant to turn her loose on computers, because I didn't want to stifle her natural creativity. I still believe that the best educational technology is a regular download directly from YOU or your child's teacher, but there are some pretty cool educational software and online services that can help the learning process along...
Continue reading "Best Educational Software and Technology"...Best and Worst Video Games
"My ten-year-old son is excited about video games, both online and offline. Like any good citizen of the planet, I want him to have fun and learn to kill aliens, but I worry about some of the graphic violence and objectionable themes in today's video games. Can you recommend some GOOD games, and tell me which ones we might want to avoid?"
Continue reading "Best and Worst Video Games"...Low Virtual Memory
"Recently I installed a game on a friend's computer and when we tried playing it, we would get a message saying 'Your system is low on virtual memory.' Can you please help us fix this problem?"
Continue reading "Low Virtual Memory"...The Best Free Software
"I see lots of freeware and shareware available on the Web, but I'm never sure if it's safe to download them. Are there good alternatives to the expensive shrink-wrapped software packages for sale in stores?"
Continue reading "The Best Free Software"...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 find something here to make your online experience even better!
Continue reading "Free Internet Software"...Remote Access to Your Computer
"I carry a laptop when I travel, but I always seem to forget some important files at home on my desktop PC. Is there some way I can access the files on my home computer through the Internet?"
Continue reading "Remote Access to Your Computer"...Saving Word Files as HTML
"When I use the 'Save As' feature in Microsoft Word to save a document as a web page, the resulting HTML is a bloated mess. Is all that formatting stuff really needed? If not, is there a way to get rid of it?"
Continue reading "Saving Word Files as HTML"...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 I want one? Should I use an aggregator, and if so, which one?
Continue reading "What is RSS?"...
