How to update KeePass plugins automatically
Let's say you're using KeePass with the KeePassOTP plugin because you read my earlier article Two-Factor Authentication without SMS or a smartphone: PART 2! Well, aren't you clever! 😉 The problem comes when KeePass informs you that there's an update available for the...
Reinstall all your programs at once with Ninite
You know the drill. Your puter crashes, or you want to reinstall Windows, or you upgrade to a new version and do a clean install... You can restore your data easily enough from a variety of backup methods, including Windows' own Backup and Restore feature. But then...
Why Yahoo is Rejecting Your Mail
Oh frabjous day! At long last, I have managed to figure out why Yahoo enjoys rejecting lots of mail that is sent to its users. You have probably encountered this problem before, especially if you happen to manage any kind of mailing list that sends HTML messages to...
Why Movies look like Soap Operas on your new TV – and how to fix it
You buy a new 400" TV. You hook it up, and pop in a DVD or Blu-ray disc. You expect to enjoy a glorious movie-watching experience, but instead, your movies look like TV shows or soap operas. What gives? As it turns out, the problem is your fancy new TV. Get ready for...
Make Your DVD or Blu-ray Player Region-Free
This one is a lot of fun: You borrow a DVD from a friend, or you buy one online somewhere. You stick it in your player. And then, disaster strikes! You get a message like "Region not allowed", and the movie won't play. WTH?! Welcome to the glorious world of Region...
Why the Responsive Web Site Design is Dying
Oh boy... This is one of those topics that everybody loves to talk about. People either love it, or they hate it. I'm talking about so-called "responsive" web design. A responsive web site will automatically adjust its layout based on the screen or device being used...
An Intro to Mail Servers and How E-mail Works
Everybody uses e-mail. It's great. Not everybody understands exactly how e-mail works, and even fewer people have ever tried to set up a mail server. For those of you who have, I can pretty much guarantee you that you're doing something wrong. Even if you aren't...
Bad Computer Power Supply? Maybe not!
You know the drill: You turn on your puter, and it doesn't boot, beep, or do anything else. What it does do is power itself off again after a second or two. Or... Your puter works fine, but it spontaneously enjoys turning itself off. Whatever could be the matter?...
How to Clean a Laptop with a Noisy Fan
One day, you turn on your laptop. Maybe nothing happens, or maybe you get some error message about fan speed, or maybe you just get a “system halted” message. Then again, perhaps your computer works just fine, but it’s starting to sound like a vacuum cleaner because...
How to Clean the Inside of a Desktop Computer
One day, you turn on your computer. Maybe nothing happens, or maybe you get some error message about fan speed, or maybe you just get a "system halted" message. Then again, perhaps your computer works just fine, but it's starting to sound like a jet engine because the...
Work smarter, not harder
And now for something completely different... The greatest "technology" you own is one you probably never even think about, although you do think with it: your brain! Your mind is capable of solving all sorts of problems. Usually, you use your brain the old fashioned...
Pin folders to the taskbar in Windows
This is one of those Windows tricks that you probably didn't even know existed. Usually, the Explorer icon is visible on the Taskbar. That's great for opening Explorer and navigating to whatever folder you need. But what if you want to maintain a list of commonly-used...
Repair missing User folders in Windows 7
At some point, you'll probably run into a problem that doesn't seem to have an easy solution: one of your default User folders in Windows 7 (My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, My Videos, Downloads, and Desktop) will suddenly disappear. Try as you might, you won't be...
Android: Copy everything from one device to another
Let's say you get a new phone or tablet, and both are running Android. You'd like to copy everything from your old device to your new one. How do you do it? Well, certainly there are more hardcore methods of migrating all your data. Most of these methods require...
Capture Part of your Screen in Windows: Behold the Snipping Tool!
Let's say you need to capture all or part of your puter's screen. You'd like to grab a quick image of your browser window, or maybe you want to capture a frame from a video playing on your puter. Maybe you want to save an image from a web page, but they've disabled...
Windows 10 Preview: Yes, they’re fixing everything
If you've been anxiously awaiting Windows 9, you're in for a long wait. But Windows 10 will be coming next year! You see, the official explanation is apparently that, "7 8 9" - 7 ate 9 - so Microsoft will be going straight to Windows 10. Isn't that cute? No, because...