FireFox. Some sites simply will not load with Firefox. The problems stem from 2 things. Internet Explorer has proprietary features that developers sometimes include. And IE uses ActiveX; Firefox does not. Browser standards are developed by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C). Members of the W3C are free to ignore these standards. Microsoft sometimes does that. Firefox adheres more closely... So, when you open a page in Firefox that doesn't look right, the page's developers almost certainly are using code peculiar to IE. Usually, though, you can still view these pages in Firefox. Other things simply won't work in Firefox. For instance, you cannot update Windows in Firefox. That's because you have to use an ActiveX control. These little programs facilitate interactivity on the Internet. With the ActiveX control, you can tell Microsoft how to search your machine. If updates are available, you tell Microsoft which ones to download. You can go to the update page in Firefox. But Microsoft will tell you to use Internet Explorer. Why doesn't Firefox support ActiveX? Many people, consider ActiveX a security hazard. ActiveX controls have direct access to Windows. A malicious program with an ActiveX component could wreak havoc on your computer. Two Firefox extensions facilitate the temporary use of IE. They are IE View and IE Tab. IE View opens a separate window with Internet Explorer. IE Tab opens Internet Explorer within your Firefox window.

When would be the best time to upgrade to Windows Vista? Vista is scheduled to debut in January. This question is more complicated than it sounds. For some people, Vista will be an economic issue. Not everyone has $200-$400 to burn. Most probably have Windows XP, which is a very good operating system. I see no compelling reason to move to Vista, at this time. Microsoft will imply that only losers stick with XP. But that is just advertising. Furthermore, Vista might demand a new computer. Vista's technology requirements are much greater than those for XP. Theoretically, you can update an older computer. But the costs of parts and labor can be pricey... That's especially true if someone else does the work. And your power supply, microprocessor, motherboard, etc. will still be old. Run Microsoft's upgrade advisor to see where your hardware stands.

Stick with XP. It works well. And it's secure, especially if you use Firefox, not Internet Explorer. There are things that will force a change. A few are: • You might have something new that you want to try. It will run on Vista only. • Microsoft will stop supporting XP eventually. It did just that recently with Windows 98 and ME. That will mean no more security updates. For your safety, you should then upgrade. • Your computer will stagger to the grave. Your new computer will have Vista on it.

Digital Cameras. Camera technology has advanced rapidly in the last few years. Digital cameras are advanced, compact and affordable. There are many quality digital cameras in the $200-$300 price range. For $300 or less, you can get a 6.0–7.1 megapixel camera. This is enough resolution for the amateur photographer. You can print 8x10 prints in detail. Look for a 3x optical zoom at least. This is standard for digital cameras. You'll also see digital zoom. Digital zoom doesn't mean much. It uses software to enlarge and crop photos. It can also increase sensitivity to movement, resulting in blurry shots. Most cameras in this price range are compact. They fit easily in a pocket or purse. More expensive cameras are larger to accommodate added features. Look for scene modes. Examples of scene modes include Snow, Fireworks, Portrait or Action. The camera automatically adjusts its settings to accommodate the selected scene. This obviates the need for manual shutter and aperture settings. Still, you may want to experiment with manual settings. Some digital cameras have manual options. Some cameras even allow you to save custom settings as scene modes. Most cameras come standard with video-recording features. The higher the resolution, the better the video quality. High quality videos will play in a larger screen on your computer. There are many other features to look for. Low-light capabilities, flash options, available accessories, and color controls are a few. Some cameras even have photo-editing tools. You can change coloring, remove red-eye, and crop images right on the camera. This minimizes the need for photo-editing software.

Intel Core Duo processor or an AMD Turion 64 x2. These processors are the most advanced on the market. AMD's Turion 64 x2 is a 64-bit dual-core processor. Dual-core essentially means the chip has two processors. A dual-core 64-bit chip theoretically can handle four times as much data as a standard 32-bit chip. The competing Intel processor isn't the Core Duo. Rather, it is the Core 2 Duo. For now, you probably won't see much improvement with a 64-bit chip. Laptops that have a 64-bit chip probably don't include 64-bit Windows. You can upgrade the operating system, though. Vista should take full advantage of a 64-bit processor. Expect to see more software that takes advantage of the extra power. The Turion has either 512 KB or 1 MB total of level 2 (L2) cache. The L2 cache is where the processor stores data transferred from RAM. The cache can be accessed faster than RAM. The larger the cache, the better. The Turion has clock speeds ranging from 1.6 GHz to 2 GHz. Clock speed refers to how fast a processor performs calculations. Manufacturers used to highlight clock speeds when marketing processors. There's a lot of confusion over clock speed. Clock speed shouldn't be used to compare competing chips. There are other factors, such as L2 cache, that contribute to speed. However, clock speed is useful when comparing chips in the same processor family. The Core 2 Duo features either 2 MB or 4 MB total L2 cache. Clock speeds range from 1.66 to 2.33 GHz. The Core 2 Duo is a newly designed chip. The Turion 64 x2 is an older chip; it is a redesigned version of an earlier AMD chip. The Core 2 Duo is more advanced. In many tests, it outperforms the AMD chip.

Emoticons. They started out as plain-text drawings used to convey feelings in e-mail messages. For example, :-) is a smiley face, and :-( is a frowney face. There are literally thousands of emoticons, so if you type a text emoticon into a program, chances are it will be converted to a symbol or picture. Word and Outlook do this, as do some instant messengers. When they're converted into images, they're technically called smilies. When you enter emoticons yourself, or your applications convert them to smilies, spyware is never a risk. Smilies can be much more than simple graphics. They can be animated GIFs. These can be quite elaborate. There are programs that insert them into messages. These smilies are found on the Internet. The programs that insert them into messages also can include spyware. So you need to be careful when downloading them. Now, to clarify, it is the smiley programs that may install spyware on your computer. This programs act as managers for the images. The smilies themselves are okay. There are smiley programs that don't install spyware. You'll find ones that insert smilies in e-mail, instant messages and forums. If you decide to download a smiley program from the Internet, check its terms. It may say if spyware is included. However, some may not. So also research the site with SiteAdvisor. It will tell you if the site is known for spyware or other malicious downloads. If your security software isn't current, you should update it before downloading anything. You can avoid this issue by downloading individual smilies, not the installation programs. Web sites offer free ones for download.

Dual-purpose display can spare some expense. But pay attention to specifications to ensure it can do double duty. Buy a high definition TV that will double as a computer monitor. Computer monitors can certainly handle regular TV. But they aren't well supported for HDTV. Look for a set that includes inputs for High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). It's the newer standard for connections with high definition DVD players. Most modern HDTV sets include HDMI inputs, and HDMI upscaling. You can connect the set to a computer using Digital Visual Interface (DVI). Some HDTV sets include DVI inputs. You can otherwise use a DVI-to-HDMI cable. Another consideration is High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). The content protection is gradually being added to high definition DVDs and TV signals. And as high definition becomes the norm, HDCP certification will become important. Content providers choose what happens on displays without HDCP. The picture may be downgraded to regular DVD quality. That's not bad, but it's also not high definition. At worst, you might get a blank screen. Consider whether you need a built-in HD tuner. A built-in tuner supports high definition content from over-air broadcast. You receive these signals using an antenna on your roof, or inside your home. Tuners normally are not necessary if you subscribe to cable or satellite. Your provider probably will supply a high definition tuner. In this case, you simply need a TV monitor. These televisions are normally described as HD-ready. Most computer monitors are capable of the resolution required by high definition. However, HDMI inputs and HDCP certification are rare for monitors. That may change in a few years.

Secure my wireless repeater? A wireless repeater rebroadcasts your Wi-Fi home network's signal. It can revitalize a signal that is too weak to reach every part of your house. Other common names for repeaters include range extender or range expander. The steps to secure a repeater are similar to those for securing an access point. In fact, most access points can act as repeaters. There are other ways of extending a wireless network signal. I've written about a few different solutions for wireless coverage on my site. Anyone considering purchasing a repeater should consider all options. Like routers, repeaters are easiest to set up without security. Measures such as encryption can be layered on after you get everything working. Start by disabling the security on your router. Some repeaters automatically connect to the nearest Wi-Fi network. This can be a problem if your neighbors have wireless networks. The nearest signal means the strongest signal. So keep the repeater in the same room as your router during setup. Some repeaters include setup programs. Others can be configured through a Web browser. Your repeater's manual will tell you which method to use. Both involve connecting the repeater to a computer via Ethernet cable. You may have to enter the network information yourself. You'll need the IP address, subnet mask and Wi-Fi channel used by your router. Look them up in your router's configuration menu. The space for the IP address is sometimes labeled Gateway or Access Point. You might also see a space for the repeater's IP address. If a default is already filled in, use it. Once the repeater is part of your network, add security. Reactivate your router's encryption. This is a good time to gather information that the repeater will need. Take note of the encryption type (such as WEP or WPA) and the passphrase or key. Access the repeater's security settings. Then enter the information you got from the router. With security added, place the repeater wherever you need it. An encrypted network protects you from neighborhood eavesdroppers. But Internet threats are a different animal. Make sure each computer is equipped with firewall, antivirus and anti-spyware software.

Streaming video. The video file is stored on a Web server. The whole video is never stored on your computer. You simply connect and the video is "streamed" to your computer. It is shown as it arrives. Typically, it arrives faster than it is shown. The extra is buffered (stored in memory). By contrast, a downloaded video is stored on your hard drive. After download, it can be run. A streamed video is not saved to your computer. It remains on the Web server. Downloading a video is generally more dangerous. The video file can mask a virus or other malware. But streaming video could also harm your computer. The video file itself is not dangerous. However, most software contains flaws. These flaws can be exploited by hackers or crooks. For example, a while back a flaw was discovered in Windows Media Player. Under the guise of downloading a digital rights license, users were directed to a malicious Web site. So, yes, watching video over the Internet can harm your computer. So you should keep Windows updated and run security software. I've got links to free security programs on my site. And, of course, you should stick to legitimate Web sites.

Fixing a bloated Outlook PST file Outlook will not allow the PST file to get bigger than 2 GB. Microsoft has an Oversized PST tool that truncates the file. Many people are not aware of limits on file size in Outlook. In versions prior to Outlook 2003, PST files could only be two gigabytes. Outlook stores everything—e-mail, Contacts, drafts, etc—in its PST file. It does not warn you when you're approaching your limit. In Outlook 2003, Microsoft upped the limit to a roomy 20 GB . Microsoft's Oversized PST tool works, but it deletes data. When it gets to this point, many people are willing to lose some data. When you crop an Outlook file, you'll lose the newest data first. This might be workable. You may be able to recover some e-mail from your server. No other solution. There are many programs that claim to compress Outlook files. But none specifically say they can recover data once you cross the two gigabyte limit. You can download the Oversized PST and OST crop tool from Microsoft. The instructions are somewhat complicated. However, they're covered on Microsoft's site. Just make sure you back up your PST file before you begin! Next, run the Inbox Repair tool. To find it, click Start>>Search. Enter scanpst.exe in the search box. Double-click it to run it. Click Browse to locate your Outlook PST file. Click Start. It will find and hopefully repair any errors in the file. Obviously, it is much easier to prevent this problem in the first place. So, if you use an earlier version of Outlook, take action now. Your best bet is to archive your e-mail, which moves it to another file. But before you do that, clean things up. First, remove obsolete entries in your Contacts list. Look for completed tasks and notes that are no longer needed. These are the types of things that tend to accumulate. Look for old appointments that can be deleted. Remove drafts and empty your Junk e-mail folder. Then it's time to get to delete old e-mail. Jokes are good ones to get the boot. So are old receipts and quick notes to and from friends. Finally, you're ready to set up AutoArchive. Click Tools>>Options. Open the Other tab and click AutoArchive. You can specify your options for archiving your Outlook data. You should set it to run at least once a month. Outlook is slow to release reclaimed space. But you can do it quickly by compacting the PST file.