Some of you still are, for whatever the reason. If you still are, here are a couple of resources:
Windows 98 + ME *still* alive campaign
98 FE + 98 SE + ME updates + patches + (hot)fixes
Though these operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft, there remains a group of enthusiasts and volunteers who make free support and patches available for these systems.
As a follow-up to our recent Free Services and Software for Business post, here’s a list from the Bootstrapper blog. Christina Laun writes:
“Starting and running a business can be a pricey endeavor, but not everything has to be expensive. From printers to a wide variety of great freeware, the internet is chock full of free stuff that can help out the poor entrepreneur. Here’s a list of 100 free products and services that can help you save money as you grow your business.”
We can help your small business get the most “bang for the buck” out of your computer systems as well. We provide timely service, expert advice (explained in non-geek terms…) and low cost alternatives to pricey equipment and software packages. Contact us for details!
From the TEDBlog:
“TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader.”
“The Web is constantly turning out new and extraordinary services many of us are unfamiliar with. During TED University at this spring’s TED2007 in Monterey, Julius Wiedemann, editor in charge at Taschen GmbH, offered an ultra-fast-moving ride through sites in many different areas, from art, design and illustration, to daily news, blogs and curiosity. Now, by popular demand, here’s his list of 100 websites you should know and use.”
Categories include Curiosity and Knowledge, Graphics, Music and Arts, E-Commerce Experience, Searching and Finding, Online Resources, and Top Interactive Experience Creators.
From adelader.com:
This two page Google Cheat Sheet lists all Google services and tools as well as background information. The Cheat Sheet offers a great reference to grasp of basic to advanced Google query building concepts and ideas.
Of course, Google has its own official Cheat Sheet, too, along with a great series of Search Guides to help you use Google more efficiently.
In addition to providing easy access to billions of web pages, Google has many special features to help you to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Edit 08/07/2007:
While we are on the subject of Google, be sure to also check out Marc and Angel’s 7 Clever Google Tricks Worth Knowing, along with our previous post entitled 20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches.
Edit 08/09/2007:
Here’s another cheat sheet from GoogleGuide. This one has both online and printable .pdf examples.
From the Web Worker Daily blog:
Whether you’re sentenced to use Word all day by a dictatorial IT department, or it’s simply your word processor of choice, you can save time and have more options by mastering a few easy shortcuts.
The seven tips I’ll list here are very easy to learn. They work in most versions of Word, and under Windows or on a Mac:
There are more tips in the comments section of the post as well.
Reg Adkins writes:
When I lose productive time at work it is usually because of a problem I have encountered with my computer. And any time I have a computer problem it is usually related to one of the following items. In order to be a little proactive I have built this little checklist. I have automated as many of them as I can and if much of your livelihood depends on your technology functioning smoothly I suggest you consider doing the same.
Our real-world experience has taught us that it is always easier and cheaper to prevent problems ahead of time wherever possible than it is to fix problems after they occur. If you need assistance implementing this checklist, or if you have any questions about maintenance or the proactive measures you should take to avoid potential computer problems, contact us!
From the Online Education Database:
As a student, writer, author, journalist, poet, or screenwriter, you know that you probably spend more time on research, editing, and proofreading than you do on the actual writing. Therefore, you might not have time to find resources to help you write better, faster, or more persuasively. This is where our list comes to your rescue, as the following links focus on places where you can conduct research, software that is free and easy to use, and services that will remove that “extra work” monkey from your back. This list focuses solely on those tools that can make your writing life easier.
Even if you don’t write for a living, this is definitely a site to add to your bookmarks/favorites! Those of you that are students or have students in your household should find this to be a valuable resource.
Edit 07/31/2007:
We’d also like to add Ten Things to Make Your Writing Life Easier courtesy of the Paperback Writer blog. Yet more good resources!
Found at alt.comp.freeware - InsightPoint from http://icytec.com
“InsightPoint is not one of those programs with which you’ll have to spend hours before you’re getting comfortable. As it is understood that most users do not want to even look at the user manual, a lot of efforts have been put into designing a user interface that help ease your designing and drawing experience with the shortest learning curve possible. We’ve tried to make it easy for everyone to understand so that when you open InsightPoint for the first time you are able to work on your project.
InsightPoint is an Integrated Development Environment for graphic design, illustration, and presentation. It is engineered to solve such a long-existing dilemma: your favorite presentation tool is incapable of producing vivid graphics when you need it or the graphic design tool simply can’t help too much in presenting your brilliant ideas. Finally there is an application software that is able to seamlessly bring together the best of both worlds onto your desktop.”
InsightPoint is available for Windows (20 MB) and Linux (30 MB)
Screenshots are available on the InsightPoint website.
Can you tell a fake Web site from a real one? Do you always know which e-mails are legitimate? Take the McAfee SiteAdvisor phishing quiz and the SonicWALL Phishing IQ Test to test your ability to detect dangerous phishing scams.
Each of these sites will show you example Web sites or e-mail messages and ask you to identify the authentic site or message. They will also test your general knowledge about internet-related scams.
Be sure to read the results closely, as they point out telltale signs of phishing sites such as misspellings and suspicious Web addresses.
OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
As always, if we can be of assistance in securing your computer, contact us!
HP (formerly known as Hewlett-Packard) is among the world’s largest IT companies. Their Learning Center offers a variety of free, online classes for both the Home & Home office and Business customers. Enjoy the self-paced lessons, expert instructors and active message boards.