Newsletter Archives

• Celebrating Spring

  Posted on March 25, 2023 at 21:29 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  We’re between rain events here in California and the bulbs are in full bloom and in some cases getting ready to end their display for the year. I’m taking a slight break from tech tonight to share spring with you.

  One of my favorite Daffodil varieties called “jetfire”.

  

  But taking photos always reminds me how much the technology of taking pictures has changed. We used to have dedicated cameras and only took photos with film that had to be developed. Taking and developing pictures was expensive so you’d reserve taking a photo until you had just the right shot. Along the way we moved to faster photo processing, even to the point that we could get our photos developed in an hour (or less). Along the way we had poloroids where you’d take a photo and then shake it to help it develop. (Ah the kids have no idea what fun we had) Then came the big change in photography. The PHONE. When a camera was inserted into a phone to where you had a high quality photo taking device that not only was with you at all times but was in your pocket – and had Internet access – taking photographs changed drastically.  No longer did we even care if we got the PERFECT photo, we could screw up a bunch and not care. We can even edit the photos and make them better.

  I’m still struggling finding a nice, easy photo editing software program.  Geeks swear by irfanview but that’s a bit too geeky for my Sister who loves to edit photos. Do you have a favorite editing program?  Share in the comments!

  Best Utilities Patch Lady Posts

• Freeware Spotlight – CrystalDiskInfo

  Posted on November 15, 2021 at 02:43 CST by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  YOUR HARD DRIVE IS GOING TO DIE!

  German-born theologian Georg Hermes once said, “Death is like an arrow that is already in flight, and your life lasts only until it reaches you.” This also applies to the hard drives in our computers. But sometimes we get some subtle hints that the end is near … well, at least for our hard drives.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.44.0 (2021-11-15).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, HDD, SMART, SSD

• Freeware Spotlight – MyFolders

  Posted on November 1, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  Sometimes you come across a free program and think to yourself, “Why is this not already a part of Windows?”

  We’ve conditioned ourselves to use our computers a certain way. Need to sort a bunch of files? Well, start opening a bunch of windows and get to dragging. Sure, multi-pane file managers such as Q-Dir (my favorite) make things easier when sorting, especially if you use large or multiple screens, but what if I told you about something entirely new?

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.42.0 (2021-11-01).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight

• Freeware Spotlight — CAD

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  For those of us who had drafting in high school, we thought our T-squares were expensive. Those new-fangled home computers were going to make things so much easier for designing palaces, office towers, and rockets — but to do so, they needed software. Very expensive software called CAD.

  CAD stands for computer-aided design. What it should stand for is cash-aided design, because the top CAD programs can cost as much as a used Camaro. A very, very nice used Camaro. Seriously, I just want to design a patio and a birdhouse for said patio. I want software that is much closer to free … or exactly free!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, CAD, Computer Aided Design, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight

• Freeware Spotlight — Preparing your PC for Windows 11

  Posted on October 4, 2021 at 02:45 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.38 • 2021-10-04

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  Nothing can ruin the excitement of a major Windows upgrade like an error message halfway through installation.

  You know — that pit in your stomach when you don’t know if you now have your old Windows or the new Windows. Are you stuck on a transitional plane? Have you created a half-breed, mutant operating system? Are your personal files gone!!? Let’s try to prevent all that with some good old-fashioned housecleaning before you are offered Windows 11 this month.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.38.0 (2021-10-04).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.38.F (2021-10-04).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus membership, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Windows 11

• Freeware Spotlight — SageThumbs

  Posted on September 20, 2021 at 02:40 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  Some of the most common things I get asked about at our computer store are how to email a picture and how to make it smaller. Or, how to make a picture my desktop background image.

  To us geeks, these tasks are pretty straightforward because we have done them hundreds of times; but to a novice who is just learning to use a computer, it can seem rather confusing.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.36.0 (2021-09-20).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Utilities

• Freeware Spotlight — Anti-Twin

  Posted on August 23, 2021 at 02:45 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.32 • 2021-08-23

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  Yes, those seashell pictures you took from the ocean were great, and that recipe for Frito Pie is a real crowd-pleaser. But do you need seven copies of these on your hard drive?

  Data clutter is a common thing these days. Often I see customers’ computers that have hundreds of duplicate files on them, especially pictures. Whether it be from a mishap with choosing the same drive for backups or accidentally making copies of folders, an unorganized computer can fill up space quickly. This is certainly a big issue with smaller, solid-state hard drives, where you might not have the space to spare.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.32.0 (2021-08-23).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.32.F (2021-08-23).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Duplicate file finders

• Freeware Spotlight – Three tools to make your printer print

  Posted on August 9, 2021 at 02:42 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  The last few builds of Windows 10 have not played well with LAN and Wi-Fi printers. It’s not as if our printers didn’t have enough problems with just a USB connection.

  I spend a lot of time fixing customers’ printing issues and the networking issues caused by Windows updates. It seems like half of what we do at our shop these days.

  How do we fix our printer woes on a tight budget? Freeware to the rescue!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.30.0 (2021-08-09).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Printing
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