Newsletter Archives

• When is a good time to replace?

  Posted on January 24, 2025 at 03:00 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  My sister has a guideline — never replace a device before you’ve paid it off. The phone companies will gladly let you trade in your phone for a new phone even if you haven’t fully paid off the old phone. But when should you replace a device?

  There are a few hard and fast rules:

  1. When the vendor stops supporting it or giving you updates, it’s time to seriously consider replacing it. Devices are app-driven and thus app vendors are bound by the restrictions the phone and device vendors put in place. Often older apps will no longer work. Not just unsupported, but flat out won’t work.
  2. When the device’s storage space is getting too full. If an iPhone’s free space gets too tight, updates won’t install. Patching devices that don’t have enough free space is a real hassle (ask me how I know).
  3. When the device can no longer hold a charge. For this you can opt for third-party solutions, available at local firms in the battery business.
  4. When it won’t support the application you are trying to download. This is typically related to number 1.

  For me, the most common reason is power. Batteries tend to go bad before the support for the operating system lapses.

  Apple Batteries, Patch Lady Posts, Phones, Support, updates

• Forum Top Ten lists!

  Posted on August 5, 2024 at 02:44 CDT by Will Fastie

  FROM THE FORUMS

  

  The forums are a centerpiece of AskWoody, allowing our community to engage with one another to solve problems, share insights, offer feedback, and add to our collective knowledge. (Not to mention keeping us in line.)

  We appreciate both the questions and the ongoing willingness of forum members to participate.

  Here’s a quick summary of posts from the first half of this year. We look forward to seeing what happens in the second half.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.32.0, 2024-08-05).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  From the Forums Blog, Forums, Newsletters, Support

• Should you trust that tech info?

  Posted on June 10, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Microsoft’s lack of guidance introduces risk.

  Getting help with technology has always been a bit difficult. Lately, it’s becoming a bit dangerous.

  Once upon a time, vendor support was more obvious and easier to find, and it provided more documentation. I’d argue that Apple still has the best consumer support for its products. But when it comes to business support, neither Microsoft nor Apple provides its customers with appropriate, high-quality, and affordable support.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.24.0, 2024-06-10).

  Patch Watch KB5034441, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, SMB Signing, Support, updates, V

• The Quickening

  Posted on March 18, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  SOFTWARE

  

  By Will Fastie

  My relationship with Quicken has gone from friendly to annoying to infuriating over the past ten years. But is my opinion justified?

  I’ve been using Quicken, specifically the Home & Business edition, for at least 25 years, and plain old Quicken for years before that. It’s been an excellent program, and I always felt it was reasonably priced.

  I last purchased a copy in 2015. That was shortly before the Intuit/Quicken world turned upside down.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.12.0, 2024-03-18).

  Software Accounting Software, Marketing, Newsletters, Quicken, Subscription model, Support

• Diagnostics and testing? Get it all done in a flash.

  Posted on June 5, 2023 at 02:43 CDT by Ben Myers • Comment in the Forums

  HARDWARE

  

  By Ben Myers

  Bootable USB flash drives are wonderful for doing many different software tasks when working on computers, but year by year they pile up.

  I needed to rid myself of my dependency on the many bootable flash drives I have collected in the last few years, by putting the most frequently used software on a single flash drive.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.23.0, 2023-06-05).

  Hardware Diagnostics, Hardware, ISOs, Newsletters, Support, Testing, USB Flash Drives, USB SSDs

• Ten top forum topics — Support

  Posted on April 10, 2023 at 02:44 CDT by Will Fastie

  FROM THE FORUMS

  

  The section of the forums devoted to support has long been the most active area of all. Did you know that the Support section alone accounts for over 158,000 topics with over 885,000 comments?

  We appreciate both the questions and the ongoing willingness of forum members to offer their knowledge, experience, and assistance to help others solve their problems. So check out the Support section from time to time — you never know when you might have that unique insight that will help someone else.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.15.0, 2023-04-10).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  From the Forums Forums, Newsletters, Support

• Randy’s remedies: Oops! — I called the scam number

  Posted on December 5, 2022 at 02:43 CST by Randy McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  SUPPORT

  

  By Randy McElveen

  The fact that you got tricked into calling a scammer’s phone number does not mean you’re stupid. It means the world has gotten stupid.

  I remember the vacuum salesman coming to the door when I was a kid. Of course, my mom and dad let them in. They were just people doing their job. They showed my parents what this new vacuum could do, and my parents made a decision to buy a vacuum or not. If they said no-thank-you, the salesman didn’t put a padlock on our old vacuum. He didn’t set any booby traps in our front yard as he left. He just told my parents to have a great day and moved on to the next house.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.49.0, 2022-12-05).

  Support malware, Newsletters, Passwords, Scams, Support

• How to get out of Windows’ Automatic Repair loop

  Posted on October 10, 2022 at 02:43 CDT by Randy McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  SUPPORT

  

  By Randy McElveen

  There are hundreds of reasons why your PC might get stuck trying to repair itself, putting your PC into an Automatic Repair loop.

  Many of these can be complicated software issues or hardware failures. But don’t bring your computer to me just yet. There are many very small issues that can cause a no-boot situation. In this article, I’m going to describe a few simple things you can try before calling a pro.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.41.0, 2022-10-10).

  Support Automatic Repair, Newsletters, Support, Windows
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