The preferred Australian English spelling files I produce for Microsoft Office work with Office 2008 and Office 2011 on the Apple Mac. When I read the article below I thought it was interesting that Mac versions of Office only have a five year support life whereas Office on Windows has a ten year support life.
A popular Office for Mac version reaches the end of the support line... Read More
Those using Office 2008 will probably not notice much difference when support ends. I remember the approach we used to use in IT was to only upgrade a couple of times a year, unlike the always on update we currently have. I often wonder how many of the updates are really needed by most people. If you only create and edit your own documents and not open any documents from others (particularly from the internet), the risk would be relatively low.
Those running five year old versions of software (or even older under Windows) will have obtained excellent value from their software, particularly when compared with the yearly licence model Microsoft is currently promoting.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Office for Mac 2008 reached end of support on April 9th 2013.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
SmartyHost now owned by MYOB increased domain renewals by around 50%.
I received a noticed from SmartyHost a while ago saying the domain renewal would be $29.50 per year or $59.90. Previously I'd paid around $40 which I was happy with even though I could get a lower price elsewhere. With the first of the domains up for renewal I decided to move across to the domain company I use which charges around $12 per year. That's a saving of $17.50 per domain and with eight domains that's a saving of $140 per year.
If you know the process and are the registered holder of the domain, it doesn't take too long and I found there was no noticeable down time, although I would always prepare for 24-48 hours of minor instability when changing things on the internet. In the case of just changing from one domain registrar to another I can't see any reason for down time but always be prepared.
The biggest mistake I've seen people do, is to let their web site developer take control of their domain. That can result in taking hours to get control back over the domain. A couple of companies I've seen put their partners first (web developers, hosting companies, computer support people) before the customer that actually owns the domain. That can mean moving the domain away from the domain company just to regain control over the domain again.
As an example one client I assisted took over five hours over a couple of weeks to get control back of their domain from their web designer they had fallen out with. They had already tried a number of times with other support people over a period of months. Only that the domain registrar screwed up they would have taken much longer. Then they went and let their new web design company move their domain under their control and have simply moved from a problem situation to a future problem situation. I'd had recommended they now register the domain in their name under their control but the new web design company did a sale pitch on them.
When I started registering domains many years ago I'd use what I considered to be the main domain registrar at the time. Since then the domain name market has been opened up and instead of paying $140 for two years I now pay $24. If you have multiple domains that can be a considerable saving.
A month or two before your domain name comes up for renewal is a good time to review your options. If your situation is simple it is easy to save some money. Some people I've seen leave it to the last minute and that is a bad time to make a change.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
If you know the process and are the registered holder of the domain, it doesn't take too long and I found there was no noticeable down time, although I would always prepare for 24-48 hours of minor instability when changing things on the internet. In the case of just changing from one domain registrar to another I can't see any reason for down time but always be prepared.
The biggest mistake I've seen people do, is to let their web site developer take control of their domain. That can result in taking hours to get control back over the domain. A couple of companies I've seen put their partners first (web developers, hosting companies, computer support people) before the customer that actually owns the domain. That can mean moving the domain away from the domain company just to regain control over the domain again.
As an example one client I assisted took over five hours over a couple of weeks to get control back of their domain from their web designer they had fallen out with. They had already tried a number of times with other support people over a period of months. Only that the domain registrar screwed up they would have taken much longer. Then they went and let their new web design company move their domain under their control and have simply moved from a problem situation to a future problem situation. I'd had recommended they now register the domain in their name under their control but the new web design company did a sale pitch on them.
When I started registering domains many years ago I'd use what I considered to be the main domain registrar at the time. Since then the domain name market has been opened up and instead of paying $140 for two years I now pay $24. If you have multiple domains that can be a considerable saving.
A month or two before your domain name comes up for renewal is a good time to review your options. If your situation is simple it is easy to save some money. Some people I've seen leave it to the last minute and that is a bad time to make a change.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
When replacing older computer monitors with wide-screen displays we often find people complaining the screen is smaller.
One grumble I used to get when replacing older monitors and LCD flat screen monitors is even though clients had purchased a bigger screen it now locked smaller. The reason is screens are measured using the diagonal. For a given screen size wide screen monitors with a 16:9 ratio when compared with older monitors having a 4:3 ratio, are actually shorter. For a user this means their screen appears smaller and very few people like going to a smaller screen.
In MyAnswers solution 2341 I examined the maths behind screen sizes and how to determine the new screen size to give the same vertical size.
The most obvious example is the humble TV used in the lounge room. Until recently the 26" screen was pretty much the standard screen size in the lounge room. However if you replace the 26" TV with a wide screen flat panel TV you'll need to purchase a 32" screen otherwise images will appear smaller. Yes you do get more screen space on the sides, but since the vertical size is smaller, images will be smaller.
When purchasing a new screen and moving from the older 4:3 ratio to the new 16:9 ratio, if you want to have the same vertical size, this is one time where upsizing really makes a difference.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
In MyAnswers solution 2341 I examined the maths behind screen sizes and how to determine the new screen size to give the same vertical size.
The most obvious example is the humble TV used in the lounge room. Until recently the 26" screen was pretty much the standard screen size in the lounge room. However if you replace the 26" TV with a wide screen flat panel TV you'll need to purchase a 32" screen otherwise images will appear smaller. Yes you do get more screen space on the sides, but since the vertical size is smaller, images will be smaller.
When purchasing a new screen and moving from the older 4:3 ratio to the new 16:9 ratio, if you want to have the same vertical size, this is one time where upsizing really makes a difference.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
MyAnswers: Homegroup icon just appeared on my Windows 8 desktop
The following MyAnswers solution 2340 is now available:
Homegroup icon just appeared on my Windows 8 desktop for no apparent reason.
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Alert: Optus MMS Service from 61269022348@optusmobile.com.au
Yesterday I received a number of faked MMS Service emails under the Telstra name and today I received a number of emails faked as Optus MMS Service. The email has the subject "Optus MMS Service from 61269022348@optusmobile.com.au" where the number chances. Attached is a zip file which contains malware. The zip file is has name such as "MMS - BG4S25OR.zip" but the section after the hyphen changes. Only one antivirus software package commonly used in Australia identified the malware.
You should delete these emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
You should delete these emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Alert: Telstra MMS Service - Last photoshot
I received a couple of emails with attachments this morning pretending to be from the Telstra MMS service. The body of the message reads 'Hello! I've attached last photoshot with you'. Attached is a file called 'Telstra-MMS-ID035489193.zip' which contains malware. The malware isn't currently detected by any of the commonly used antivirus programs in Australia.
You should delete these emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
You should delete these emails.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
MyAnswers: A free method to save PDF forms with the data means you can update later.
The following MyAnswers solution 2339 is now available:
You know the fill-in PDFs that are offered ... Is there a way to save the PDF in its entirety after you fill in the data?
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
MyAnswers: Free method to produce PDF files from software and also from Word, Excel, etc.
The following MyAnswers solution 2338 is now available:
I was asked the question "I'd like an affordable PDF solution (not Adobe) that will let me save data to a PDF at work and home. It would also be great to be able to generate PDFs from Excel, Word, etc.". As to affordable the solution to this is free.
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Windows XP end-of-life promotion by Microsoft is similar to the Y2K beat up.
Yes, on April 8th 2014 Windows XP reaches end-of-life for support from Microsoft. If you listen to the promotional advertising by Microsoft you'll feel pressured to race out and purchase a new computer. Remember Y2K. Perfectly good government computers could be picked up for $50 a piece and others were given away. Will the same happen again. Probably. But keep in mind I reviewed over 300 client computers for the Y2K and not a single computer had to be replaced.
Before you go racing out to buy a new computer consider that you have a number of options and the computer that works perfectly well today, will continue to work perfectly well after April 8th 2014. You may have to make some adjustments, but chances are your Windows XP computer could still serve you for some time to come.
The only company that stands to gain from discontinuing support for Windows XP is Microsoft. Expect to see anything you are using today that is provided by Microsoft as a potential future problem. For example, will their antivirus program continue to work under Windows XP? If not, no problem, pick another free antivirus program. In time however keep in mind other companies may discontinue support of Windows XP, but in the short term, as Microsoft walks away from Windows XP, that can only benefit other companies.
Keep in mind that upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8 may not be possible for your computer. Things may not work and to get things to work may cost more than it is worth. If you continue to use your Windows XP computer ask yourself, where is your exposure? Your biggest exposure is your connection to the internet and the software you use connected to the internet. In particular your browser and your email client. There will be solutions and workarounds to most problems. I can provide clients with a boot disk created for use by the military when internet access is required, and when using Windows XP, access to the internet could be disabled.
Many people have now also reduced their use of desktop and even notebooks, with tablets and mobile phones now performing a considerable amount of the internet activity. In the next twelve months I can only see this trend continuing.
You have options and you have choices. In the coming twelve months you'll be bombarded with messages encouraging you to upgrade. The world didn't end on the 1st of January 2000 with the Y2K and it won't end on the 8th of April 2014 for Windows XP users. Upgrade when you feel the time is right for you.
As I find issues clients are having I'll document the issues in MyAnswers so all clients can cost effectively benefit from the solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Before you go racing out to buy a new computer consider that you have a number of options and the computer that works perfectly well today, will continue to work perfectly well after April 8th 2014. You may have to make some adjustments, but chances are your Windows XP computer could still serve you for some time to come.
The only company that stands to gain from discontinuing support for Windows XP is Microsoft. Expect to see anything you are using today that is provided by Microsoft as a potential future problem. For example, will their antivirus program continue to work under Windows XP? If not, no problem, pick another free antivirus program. In time however keep in mind other companies may discontinue support of Windows XP, but in the short term, as Microsoft walks away from Windows XP, that can only benefit other companies.
Keep in mind that upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8 may not be possible for your computer. Things may not work and to get things to work may cost more than it is worth. If you continue to use your Windows XP computer ask yourself, where is your exposure? Your biggest exposure is your connection to the internet and the software you use connected to the internet. In particular your browser and your email client. There will be solutions and workarounds to most problems. I can provide clients with a boot disk created for use by the military when internet access is required, and when using Windows XP, access to the internet could be disabled.
Many people have now also reduced their use of desktop and even notebooks, with tablets and mobile phones now performing a considerable amount of the internet activity. In the next twelve months I can only see this trend continuing.
You have options and you have choices. In the coming twelve months you'll be bombarded with messages encouraging you to upgrade. The world didn't end on the 1st of January 2000 with the Y2K and it won't end on the 8th of April 2014 for Windows XP users. Upgrade when you feel the time is right for you.
As I find issues clients are having I'll document the issues in MyAnswers so all clients can cost effectively benefit from the solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Have you been Micensed by Microsoft?
Microsoft have been running a campaign with the catchy term 'scroogle'. In essence when using Google products Google is scanning your data and Microsoft wants people to know. Google's interest is in harvesting your data for the purpose of advertising. We don't know what else they'll do with the data, who they will sell it to, how it gets used, but let's just keep it to scanning or recording the information which goes through their services for the purpose of bringing you more relevant advertising.
Microsoft supposedly doesn't do this, but it really is hard to tell. They own the Bing search engine and they'd record data relevant to searches so who knows how they are using that data. But the one direction which I'm not a fan of is the progressive push to get people to a yearly (or even monthly) licence to use Microsoft's software and services. Progressively Microsoft are reducing what it offers with packaged product and making recurring licensing appear more cost effective. I say 'appear' because remember the ongoing revenue for Microsoft only stops when you decide to stop paying and if you do, you have nothing. With a full packaged product you've purchased the software and you can continue to use it for years to come. There are a huge number of people still using Office 2003. That's ten years of value out of their software for software that still does what they want it to do today. Whereas the recurring licensing model appears to be largely designed to cost around the equivalent of two years of of use at which stage you could have paid for the full packaged product. That means after two years you're now paying more for your software.
If addition we recently saw how Microsoft locked Microsoft Office 2013 full packaged product to a single computer. Previously with full packaged product you could move the software to a new computer. Microsoft have relented based on customer feedback and you can again transfer the software. But what hasn't been mentioned is that in the past you could run the software on two computers. Your main computer and a second computer such as a portable computer. That means you effectively had licensed two copies that could be used on two machines. Now that option appears to have gone effectively doubling the cost of software for some people.
Microsoft wants you to move to the recurring licensing model as it means ongoing, recurring, and largely dependable income for Microsoft. But is it in your best interests. If the software that Microsoft releases bring you no useful additional functionality and in addition costs you considerable time and money adjusting your work or systems for no gain, it makes more sense to stay with what you have until a new version of software gives you additional functionality and value.
If Microsoft calls Google's approach for their business scroogling, then Google could easily call Microsoft's approach to doing business Micensing. To me the real irony is neither business seems to really focus on the customer and to me that means there will be no customer loyalty for either Google or Microsoft. As soon as a Google customer finds a way to achieve what they want without being scroogled they'll be off. As soon as a Microsoft customer can find a way to achieve what they want without being tied into recurring fees they'll be off. Even as I write this blog post I've been working on how to replace scripts I've written which use Outlook so that I'm no longer locked into Microsoft software. I use and prefer Microsoft software, but I don't want to be locked into their ongoing recurring fees model and end up with no other choice.
Make sure when you are reviewing using Google's or Microsoft's software or services you consider how these companies make their money as that is what they focus on. What you need to focus on is your needs and what is good for you and your business, now and in the future.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Microsoft supposedly doesn't do this, but it really is hard to tell. They own the Bing search engine and they'd record data relevant to searches so who knows how they are using that data. But the one direction which I'm not a fan of is the progressive push to get people to a yearly (or even monthly) licence to use Microsoft's software and services. Progressively Microsoft are reducing what it offers with packaged product and making recurring licensing appear more cost effective. I say 'appear' because remember the ongoing revenue for Microsoft only stops when you decide to stop paying and if you do, you have nothing. With a full packaged product you've purchased the software and you can continue to use it for years to come. There are a huge number of people still using Office 2003. That's ten years of value out of their software for software that still does what they want it to do today. Whereas the recurring licensing model appears to be largely designed to cost around the equivalent of two years of of use at which stage you could have paid for the full packaged product. That means after two years you're now paying more for your software.
If addition we recently saw how Microsoft locked Microsoft Office 2013 full packaged product to a single computer. Previously with full packaged product you could move the software to a new computer. Microsoft have relented based on customer feedback and you can again transfer the software. But what hasn't been mentioned is that in the past you could run the software on two computers. Your main computer and a second computer such as a portable computer. That means you effectively had licensed two copies that could be used on two machines. Now that option appears to have gone effectively doubling the cost of software for some people.
Microsoft wants you to move to the recurring licensing model as it means ongoing, recurring, and largely dependable income for Microsoft. But is it in your best interests. If the software that Microsoft releases bring you no useful additional functionality and in addition costs you considerable time and money adjusting your work or systems for no gain, it makes more sense to stay with what you have until a new version of software gives you additional functionality and value.
If Microsoft calls Google's approach for their business scroogling, then Google could easily call Microsoft's approach to doing business Micensing. To me the real irony is neither business seems to really focus on the customer and to me that means there will be no customer loyalty for either Google or Microsoft. As soon as a Google customer finds a way to achieve what they want without being scroogled they'll be off. As soon as a Microsoft customer can find a way to achieve what they want without being tied into recurring fees they'll be off. Even as I write this blog post I've been working on how to replace scripts I've written which use Outlook so that I'm no longer locked into Microsoft software. I use and prefer Microsoft software, but I don't want to be locked into their ongoing recurring fees model and end up with no other choice.
Make sure when you are reviewing using Google's or Microsoft's software or services you consider how these companies make their money as that is what they focus on. What you need to focus on is your needs and what is good for you and your business, now and in the future.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
MyAnswers: Google adwords keyword tool defaults to United Kingdom and not Australia in Win8
The following MyAnswers solution 2336 is now available:
When using Google's adwords keyword tool the default region is United Kingdom even though I'm located in Australia. This has only occurred since upgrading to Windows 8 Pro from Windows 7.
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Dog Training Melbourne videos show the enjoyment of participating in herding dog training for owners and their dogs.
One of my clients had uploaded a number of videos to YouTube to show others the enjoyable experience of herding dog training. Many people own kelpies and border collies and these breeds are natural herders but don't often get the chance of take advantage of their skills and use up some of that energy they have. I suggested to my client that he have a site to showcase his main videos on a single page site. The reason is when you participate in large sites like YouTube you are one of many and it can be close to impossible to be seen. Instead turn the situation around so the main focus is on you and others can find you and your services more readily.
In addition using techniques I've developed over time I then assisted in promoting the site and gave the client a good presence on the internet.
The result. The single page website now generates a new customer every week. The client is happy and people and their best friends get to experience the joy of participating in herding dog training. Visit my client's site at www.HerdingDogTraining.com.
If you're using YouTube, wish to put the focus back on your and the services you provide and would like a single page site to give you a presence on the internet feel from to contact me.
Regards,
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
In addition using techniques I've developed over time I then assisted in promoting the site and gave the client a good presence on the internet.
The result. The single page website now generates a new customer every week. The client is happy and people and their best friends get to experience the joy of participating in herding dog training. Visit my client's site at www.HerdingDogTraining.com.
If you're using YouTube, wish to put the focus back on your and the services you provide and would like a single page site to give you a presence on the internet feel from to contact me.
Regards,
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Current location - What is your current location in terms of GPS coordinates?
There are times when I'd like to know my current location as GPS coordinates and easily send my location to another person so they can see where I am. Most mobile phones will do this but seeing the actual GPS coordinates can be hard.
Why would anyone want their GPS coordinates you might ask and really that's a good question. Have you ever wanted to organise a get-together with a number of people and work out a point central to all of you. If you know the GPS coordinates for each of your friends you can work out the central point and it is incredibly easy.
I wrote the web app GPS coordinates (http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/) to enable people to easily determine their GPS coordinates. You do need a device such as a mobile phone but I've also found modern browsers can provide a good estimate of your location using a desktop or notebook computer.
To work out the central point have everyone determine their location using http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/ and get them to send you their link which will provide you with their location. The link contains their latitude and longitude and it is also displayed with a map. Add up the latitude for each person and then divide by the number of people. Do this for the longitude as well. The coordinates give you the central point. Go to http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/, find your location and then in the address area of your browser substitute the central point coordinates for your coordinates and you can see where the central in for your group. Now there's something you couldn't do easily in the past.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Why would anyone want their GPS coordinates you might ask and really that's a good question. Have you ever wanted to organise a get-together with a number of people and work out a point central to all of you. If you know the GPS coordinates for each of your friends you can work out the central point and it is incredibly easy.
I wrote the web app GPS coordinates (http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/) to enable people to easily determine their GPS coordinates. You do need a device such as a mobile phone but I've also found modern browsers can provide a good estimate of your location using a desktop or notebook computer.
To work out the central point have everyone determine their location using http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/ and get them to send you their link which will provide you with their location. The link contains their latitude and longitude and it is also displayed with a map. Add up the latitude for each person and then divide by the number of people. Do this for the longitude as well. The coordinates give you the central point. Go to http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/location/, find your location and then in the address area of your browser substitute the central point coordinates for your coordinates and you can see where the central in for your group. Now there's something you couldn't do easily in the past.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Excel 2010 defaults to British pounds for currency under Windows 8 Pro upgrade which should be the dollar symbol in Australia
Sometimes I just have to shake my head with Microsoft. Today I copied some data into a new spreadsheet in Excel 2010 and went to format the numbers so they were dollar amounts. Much to my surprise, clicking on the currency button inserted a pound symbol.
After all these years of getting regional settings wrong Microsoft again gets it wrong with the Windows 8 Pro upgrade. The machine I have has been running on Windows 7 with Office 2010 without this issue. I then took some time to work out what I'd consider to be the best approach to fixing this problem. There are usually a number of approaches and often the best approach isn't terribly obvious. (Who would have thought you'd need to set three settings in different places in Windows XP to get the language setting correct for Australia.) If my experience is typical for those who upgrade, then many people will find themselves in the same position and waste time trying to locate the setting, or worse, end up applying a fudge just to get around the problem. Those who don't take the time to find the correct setting will end up wasting time making many small changes and make their spreadsheets more difficult to maintain.
I've written the solution to this problem in MyAnswers solution 2335. Click here to obtain the solution.
After all these years of getting regional settings wrong Microsoft again gets it wrong with the Windows 8 Pro upgrade. The machine I have has been running on Windows 7 with Office 2010 without this issue. I then took some time to work out what I'd consider to be the best approach to fixing this problem. There are usually a number of approaches and often the best approach isn't terribly obvious. (Who would have thought you'd need to set three settings in different places in Windows XP to get the language setting correct for Australia.) If my experience is typical for those who upgrade, then many people will find themselves in the same position and waste time trying to locate the setting, or worse, end up applying a fudge just to get around the problem. Those who don't take the time to find the correct setting will end up wasting time making many small changes and make their spreadsheets more difficult to maintain.
I've written the solution to this problem in MyAnswers solution 2335. Click here to obtain the solution.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
MyAnswers: Excel 2010 under Windows 8 Pro defaults to pound symbol. Should be dollar symbol
The following MyAnswers solution 2335 is now available:
Updated to Windows 8 Pro and now Excel 2010 displays currency as the British pound symbol but should show the dollar symbol for Australia.
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Alert: Australian Federal Police - Ukash scam
Yesterday I repaired a client’s computer. They had infected their computer with the UKash scam. I documented up my general approach, including links to the software tools I used to remove the Ukash scam.
MyAnswers: Australian Federal Police - Ukash scam... Read More
Technically it isn’t difficult, but it is time consuming. I like to first remove the malware and then to perform a full scan of the computer using two to three antivirus programs. With some hard disks now having millions of files a single scan can take hours and the overall process many hours.
If I were to repair the computer onsite I’d have to charge for all the time involved and to me that would be crazy for the client to foot such a large bill. I have seen IT support people do exactly that. Normally I set an maximum fee of 1.5 hours for malware removal for a standard computer. This provides peace of mind for the client. If the malware is easily removed then only the time required is charged.
However, depending on the malware it may be very easy for a person to remove the malware themselves. In MyAnswers solution 2332 I outline the approach I used and using that information a person with basic computer skills should be able to remove this particular malware and many other malware variants. MyAnswers has been designed to assist people to do their own IT support. Often all it takes is a small amount of knowledge and a difficult problem can be relatively easy to fix.
Next time you have a problem consider using MyAnswers. If the solution I provide doesn’t assist I’m happy to provide a refund. My approach is If I can’t assist you should never be out of pocket.
- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
MyAnswers: Error STOP 0x0000007B (0xBA4CF524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000) WindowsXP
The following MyAnswers solution 2333 is now available:
Toshiba Satellite U400 Windows XP starts but the fails with blue screen and white writing. The error message displayed is STOP 0x0000007B (0xBA4CF524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000).
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Windows 8 Mail app bug. Mail app shows emails in the Inbox that have already been deleted.
Microsoft recently updated their Windows 8 Mail app, but in doing so introduced a new bug I hadn't seen before.
I use multiple devices to check my email and also to continue to test different email clients across devices. For example, in this particular test I use Windows Live mail, iPhone mail and Windows 8 mail. Using the iPhone I deleted some spam which I had received. I then opened the notebook computer and Windows 8 Mail flagged new emails waiting. When I checked there were emails in the Windows 8 Mail app Inbox which I had already deleted.
I use IMAP and emails are stored on the server, so each mail client should show the current state of the Inbox on the server and should be identical across devices. Outlook, Windows Live, Web mail and the Apple iPhone mail all show the same number of emails. You can see that following the Qantas Frequent Flyer email being three emails. The Windows 8 Mail app shows seven emails, four of which have been deleted.
The problem is the Windows 8 Mail app isn't updating correctly. I ran the Windows 8 Mail synchronise option and there was no change. At some point the Windows 8 Mail app will update but until then the information displayed is not correct.
What is important is for those considering a Microsoft tablet or Windows 8 computer is to know the Windows 8 Mail app may not be good enough. With Windows RT tablets since there doesn't appear to be a choice with the mail app (you can't install Outlook or Windows Live Mail), that leaves you with a buggy email app that I wouldn't recommend.
I decided to test what would happen if I deleted one of the emails. The surprise result is all of the emails that have previously been deleted on other devices all disappeared and not just the email I deleted. At least that corrected what the Windows 8 Mail app was displaying.
It is a concern the email client which is an integral part of the design of Windows 8 contains such issues.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
I use multiple devices to check my email and also to continue to test different email clients across devices. For example, in this particular test I use Windows Live mail, iPhone mail and Windows 8 mail. Using the iPhone I deleted some spam which I had received. I then opened the notebook computer and Windows 8 Mail flagged new emails waiting. When I checked there were emails in the Windows 8 Mail app Inbox which I had already deleted.
I use IMAP and emails are stored on the server, so each mail client should show the current state of the Inbox on the server and should be identical across devices. Outlook, Windows Live, Web mail and the Apple iPhone mail all show the same number of emails. You can see that following the Qantas Frequent Flyer email being three emails. The Windows 8 Mail app shows seven emails, four of which have been deleted.
The problem is the Windows 8 Mail app isn't updating correctly. I ran the Windows 8 Mail synchronise option and there was no change. At some point the Windows 8 Mail app will update but until then the information displayed is not correct.
I decided to test what would happen if I deleted one of the emails. The surprise result is all of the emails that have previously been deleted on other devices all disappeared and not just the email I deleted. At least that corrected what the Windows 8 Mail app was displaying.
It is a concern the email client which is an integral part of the design of Windows 8 contains such issues.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Melbourne Weather Forecast varies considerably based on the source.
I just did a search of "Melbourne Weather Forecast" using Google and Google gave the current temperature as 19 degrees. If I check the Bureau of Meteorology the current temperature for Melbourne is 15 degrees and if I check my own outdoor temperature I get 16.1 degrees.
Whilst we all often feel the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) gets the weather wrong, the reality is we come to depend on the BOM each day for guidance. I have far more confidence in the BOM information than much of the information on the web and via apps that are available. The check of the current weather shows Google is out by around 20% and that's quite a large amount. I do expect the temperature to vary slightly from the Melbourne reading as the temperature does vary across suburbs so my reading and the BOM reading for the current temperature is quite close.
The problem I have with the BOM site is when I visit the site using my mobile phone the page is designed for the desktop and thus the writing is far to small. Most of the time all I really want to do is be able to easily read the forecast and the current temperature. As it turns out it didn't take too much work to create a web page designed for the iPhone to display the information from the BOM in a size more suited to the iPhone. You can check out my web app at www.OnlineConnections.com.au/weather. I've added the web app to my home page so the current weather information is one tap away.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
UPDATE 3/4/2013
Who would have guessed. After writing this post yesterday I woke up this morning and the Bureau of Meteorology have update their site changing the layout. Looks like an update to my app is in order. Stay tuned.
Whilst we all often feel the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) gets the weather wrong, the reality is we come to depend on the BOM each day for guidance. I have far more confidence in the BOM information than much of the information on the web and via apps that are available. The check of the current weather shows Google is out by around 20% and that's quite a large amount. I do expect the temperature to vary slightly from the Melbourne reading as the temperature does vary across suburbs so my reading and the BOM reading for the current temperature is quite close.
The problem I have with the BOM site is when I visit the site using my mobile phone the page is designed for the desktop and thus the writing is far to small. Most of the time all I really want to do is be able to easily read the forecast and the current temperature. As it turns out it didn't take too much work to create a web page designed for the iPhone to display the information from the BOM in a size more suited to the iPhone. You can check out my web app at www.OnlineConnections.com.au/weather. I've added the web app to my home page so the current weather information is one tap away.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
UPDATE 3/4/2013
Who would have guessed. After writing this post yesterday I woke up this morning and the Bureau of Meteorology have update their site changing the layout. Looks like an update to my app is in order. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
MyAnswers: Installing Windows 8 Pro upgrade killed the function keys on my Toshiba notebook
The following MyAnswers solution 2328 is now available:
Upgrading to Windows 8 Pro on my older Toshiba Satellite Pro L500 was OK but unfortunately it killed my functions keys. I can no longer press the FN key plus another key to do things like mute the sound, change between external and internal displays and increase or decrease the brightness of the screen. It has taken a while but I've now found how I can use Windows 8 to provide the same functionality easily.
Click here to obtain the solution.
Click here for related solutions.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)
Meet Half Way is a new app designed to enable people to find a mid point to meet.
Have you ever wanted to meet someone half way but weren't quite sure where that might be. For a bit of fun I developed the Meet Half Way web app which enables you and another person find the midway point between the both of you and display that point on a map.
First you find your location using your computer or mobile device. Then you email a link to the page showing where you are located. Your friend then clicks on a link to find their location and then the midway point is displayed on a map.
Now it couldn't be simpler to catch up with friends and meet half way. Visit www.OnlineConnections.com.au/meethalfway/.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
First you find your location using your computer or mobile device. Then you email a link to the page showing where you are located. Your friend then clicks on a link to find their location and then the midway point is displayed on a map.
Now it couldn't be simpler to catch up with friends and meet half way. Visit www.OnlineConnections.com.au/meethalfway/.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
Monday, April 1, 2013
World Backup Day March 31st
If you missed World Backup Day chances are you probably also forgot to do your backup. Over the years I've found backup programs are generally flawed. For example a lot of backup programs take your files and compact them into a special data file that you can't read without the program. If your computer fails you also lose the program. Other programs I've tested simply stop working half way through. Others are set top automatically backup and a regular basis and most clients I've visited have no clue if they're working or not and often they aren't.
For my clients I've created a simple script file and an online web page where they can define what they want to backup and create a custom script file for themselves. There is no charge for clients as I want clients to backup their important files in case their equipment fails. The backup creates a copy of the files making it very easy for clients to recover a lost file or files by a simple copy. No need to get an expensive computer support person in just to recover files as is often the case with many backup programs.
Make sure you take the time out to determine what files are important to you and make regular backups. Your computer will eventually fail and you should make sure you are prepared for that situation. A number of clients over the years have had their computers stolen so whilst we don't usually think of computers going missing, the more mobile we become and our devices become, the more we are exposed our computers being stolen or devices being lost.
Recover of data can be expensive. As an example it is common for people to be quoted around $2,000 to have someone try to recover data from a failed hard drive and there is still no guarantee the data can be recovered. It makes no sense that people don't do even irregular snapshot backups especially when free software is available that can make the inevitable computer failure less painful.
Even if you missed World Backup Day make sure you put some time aside to set up your backup.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
For my clients I've created a simple script file and an online web page where they can define what they want to backup and create a custom script file for themselves. There is no charge for clients as I want clients to backup their important files in case their equipment fails. The backup creates a copy of the files making it very easy for clients to recover a lost file or files by a simple copy. No need to get an expensive computer support person in just to recover files as is often the case with many backup programs.
Make sure you take the time out to determine what files are important to you and make regular backups. Your computer will eventually fail and you should make sure you are prepared for that situation. A number of clients over the years have had their computers stolen so whilst we don't usually think of computers going missing, the more mobile we become and our devices become, the more we are exposed our computers being stolen or devices being lost.
Recover of data can be expensive. As an example it is common for people to be quoted around $2,000 to have someone try to recover data from a failed hard drive and there is still no guarantee the data can be recovered. It makes no sense that people don't do even irregular snapshot backups especially when free software is available that can make the inevitable computer failure less painful.
Even if you missed World Backup Day make sure you put some time aside to set up your backup.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.
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