software
Shooting Fish In A Barrel: Microsoft Is Rebranding Office 365
Shared communication is one of the underpinnings of civilization. It sets humans apart from animals.
Microsoft is engaged in a long-term effort to prevent us from being able to understand each other. I don’t know why. The company doesn’t appear to be run by a super-villain, but that would fit the facts. […] continued
Read moreWorking Remotely: Splashtop Tips For Dual Monitors & Blurry Displays
A lot of you are working remotely, connecting to an office computer from a home computer or laptop. Here are some tips that can improve that experience – setting your office computer not to go to sleep, two tips for dual monitors, and a way to improve a blurry display.
Splashtop has become one of the most popular products for remote access. […] continued
Read moreLastPass Is Slow
LastPass is slow. It’s hard to overlook.
If you’re using LastPass, I want you to keep using it! You need a secure way to keep track of passwords and confidential information. For most people, the “best” program is the one that you already use. I don’t want anyone to read this and get excited and then have something go wrong and lose your passwords and suffer embarrassing hacks and have your identity stolen and wind up homeless and alone. […] continued
Read moreRules For Computer And Online Safety 2020
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2020. You can download a copy here.
Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs, and before you fill in passwords. […] continued
Read moreGrammar Are For Winners!
Need help with spelling and grammar? Of course you do!
You already get help with your spelling. Microsoft Word and Outlook automatically fix common errors on the fly as you type, and flag possible misspellings with the familiar wavy line. Your phone auto-corrects your errors, which of course works flawlessly.
Artificial intelligence now allows grammar to be checked just as easily as spelling – on the fly, with instant feedback. […] continued
Read moreSave Screenshots With Snip & Sketch
The latest update to Windows 10 version 1903 includes Snip & Sketch, an update to the venerable Snipping Tool that has been part of Windows since Vista in 2007. The new app makes me smile because it’s the quintessential Microsoft experience: it has unnecessary extra features that you won’t use; it has a duplicative name that is both longer and more confusing than the old program; and it doesn’t work as well as the original. […] continued
Read moreLastPass Learns The Wrong Lessons About Price Increases From LogMeIn
LastPass has learned some of the wrong lessons from its corporate parent LogMeIn, with price increases for LastPass Premium that land unexpectedly like tiny bombs on the credit card statement.
TL;DRNo action needed. Most people use the free version of LastPass (still free!), and the Premium version is priced reasonably compared to the competitors. […] continued
Read moreOneNote Is Lonely And Confused
Microsoft OneNote isn’t on the Office team these days, at least not like it has been for the last ten years when it was installed alongside Word and Excel as a full-fledged Office program. OneNote has been left to play by itself.
Oh, and if you’re a OneNote user, the version you’re almost certainly using on your PC is on its last legs and someday will be discontinued. […] continued
Read moreRules For Computer And Online Safety 2019
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2019. You can download a copy here.
Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs, and before you fill in passwords. […] continued
Read moreMicrosoft Is Cutting The Ribbon In Word, Excel & Outlook
Microsoft intends to simplify the ribbon in Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. It’s possible that Microsoft will work thoughtfully and carefully and you will be happy with the result.
Oh, stop it. I hear you laughing. I’m serious. Microsoft is saying all the right words. They want to make the ribbons (the tabbed toolbars across the top) simpler and easier to use, but they say there will be an easy way to return to the way they look now for people with strong muscle memory who don’t want to change. […] continued
Read moreCh-Ch-Ch-Changes: Focused Inbox Is Replacing Clutter In Outlook
Microsoft just wants to be helpful. It’s eager to be helpful. It can’t stop itself from trying new things, just in case they’re a little bit better, even if you didn’t ask for any changes and you don’t really want new things.
Imagine that every six months you came home and Microsoft had rearranged your furniture without telling you. […] continued
Read moreQuicken 2018 Is Available – Now With New Annual Subscription Fees!
Quicken 2018 is now available for Windows and Mac computers. The most notable new feature is the price: Quicken has become a subscription product with an annual fee. You might want to buy it but you should know what you’re getting into (and you should wait a few months while Quicken works out the typical new-version bugs). […] continued
Read moreA Possible Fix For The Excel Slow File Opening Bug
Previously: What To Do When Excel Opens . . . Very . . . Slowly . . .
Windows is weird.
A year ago I wrote an article about an Excel bug: occasionally there is a 30-60 second delay after clicking on an .XLSX file before the Excel logo appears and the file opens. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Chrome Gives You That Syncing Feeling
This is a tip that is basic, elementary, beginner level. Unless you don’t know it, in which case this will help you feel centered and peaceful – slightly radiant, really.
Google Chrome syncs open tabs, bookmarks, and browsing history to all your devices.
That’s it. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? […] continued
Read moreStart10 Is Your Friend – Install It And Keep It Up To Date
If your Windows 10 computer displays an update notice for a new version of Start10, go ahead and install it. It’s safe.
This is your Windows 10 Start menu with Start10.
Start10 is a five dollar program from Stardock Software that replaces the Windows 10 Start menu with a start menu that looks exactly like Windows 7. […] continued
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