Answering a Question About Remotely Accessing Your Computer While Travelling

Question from Ian F in England about accessing computer at home while traveling

I got a question from Ian F. in England, who is one of my Gold Club members. He wrote:

"Hello Worth;

Pleased to receive what I consider another useful email. All those received I am keeping in a file on my desktop for any necessary future reference.

I would like to ask you if it is possible to operate my Apple Mac computer from an Internet Shop some 300 odd miles way. I have heard that this can be done, but I have not got any idea how to do this, if I am indeed right in believing it can be done. If it is possible, I will be able to receive your mails etc whilst away.

If this is in fact possible, I will be most obliged if you will set out in detail - in simple terms that an idiot can understand- to enable me to have access to my computer as I request.

Many thanks, I do appreciate your mails, comments and all other aspects of your service, Yours Ian"

Well Ian, first off remember -- you're not an idiot or a dummy. A lot of people feel that way when it comes to the computer, but it's important for everyone reading this to remember that it's not your fault if you feel that way, you've just never had things explained to you in the right way.

So to answer your question, it is possible to use a computer remotely (regardless of whether it's an Apple Mac or a Windows PC), but it might not be a good idea to do so in this situation.

Let me explain.

There is special software that can be put onto a computer (any type of computer) that, when used with a fast Internet connection, will allow someone to "borrow" the use of the screen, mouse, and keyboard.

I've used this type of software for years to help my parents (who live literally thousands of miles from me) when they get stuck on their computer.

With this software, I can see what's on their screen, and use my mouse and keyboard as if they were plugged directly into my parents' computer, and pretty much use it just as if I were sitting in front of it. Clients of mine also hire me to help them with their computer in the same way.

Now the specific program I chose to use is one where the person at the remote computer has to "invite me in" before I can connect, which is safer for them than a lot of similar programs which are waiting for someone to connect at all times the computer is on, which poses a security risk.

Now I happen to know Ian is leaving shortly for his trip, so he wouldn't have time to install the program and set it up or learn how to use it before he leaves, but there's a better reason for him not to do things this way -- security.

For Ian to be able to connect to his computer while he's away, he'd have to leave the computer on the entire time he's gone (since naturally you can't use a computer when it's turned off, remotely or otherwise). Aside from the added electric bill, he runs the risk of someone discovering his computer through the Internet and "breaking in".

In a sense, what he'd be doing would be leaving his front door open while he's out of town, which is just asking for trouble.

Now it is possible to put a password on the program, which would be like locking the door, and so if he didn't mind leaving his computer on for however long he is away, it could be a fairly safe thing to do as long as he connected from another private computer.

And that's the thing -- if you use a computer at a cyber cafe or Internet shop, it's not a private computer. If they even gave you permission to install the needed software to connect to your home computer (which is unlikely), you'd be using a *public* computer that complete strangers will be paying to use right after you leave.

And in these situations, it can be possible for the next person to come along and potentially get into your home computer using the same software you did!
The better option if you want to check your mail on someone else's computer while traveling is to use something called webmail.

Webmail is just a way of checking your email by visiting a web site, and signing in with your username and password. Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, and GMail are all examples of webmail, but most Internet service providers give you a special site where you can check your email.

For example, if you used Verizon, you'd go to webmail.verizon.com, type in your email address (username) and your password. Each service provider is different, but you can usually find someplace to log into webmail from their website, or call them up and ask them where to go.

You won't usually get to see older emails, and you won't have your address book, since both of those are stored on your own computer, but you can read your new emails and reply to them, etc.

One important thing to remember, is again, if you use a public computer like one in an Internet cafe, be very sure that you click the "logout" or "signout" button on the webmail site to completely log out of your account, or the next person to come along might be able to read your mail!

Also, if the computer asks if you want to save your password for the site, make sure to click "no" or "not for this site" (the exact wording varies), for the same reason.

Hopefully that makes sense and will help you be able to check your email, and also avoid any potential problems.

Until next time, enjoy,

Worth Godwin

P.S. One other thing -- Ian mentioned saving my emails to the desktop for future reference. Try not to keep too many things on your desktop -- not only does it get cluttered and hard to find things, but it can actually slow down your computer!

It's OK to put some things on your desktop, but ideally you should keep them in a folder. This way you can keep organized and have as may things inside that folder as you want without cluttering the desktop or slowing your computer down.

If you're not sure how to do this, I have lessons on organizing your desktop, as well as how to work with files and folders in my Basics CDs for Windows and Mac, which are part of both my Ultimate Beginners Bundle and my Platinum Bundle. You can see what else is in this bundle of quick, easy computer lesson CDs by visiting one of the two links below:

If you have an Apple Mac (including MacBook, iMac, iBook, etc.) then click the following link:

Ultimate Beginners Bundle of Basic Computer Lessons for Apple Mac

or if you have a Windows PC (Sony, HP, Dell, etc.), click this link:

Ultimate Beginners Bundle of Basic Computer Lessons for Windows

Be careful of fake warning messages on your computer

I do a lot of reading each day of tech news, and other computer-related info. I do this for a few reasons -- obviously I have an interest in these things or I wouldn't have gotten into this line of work years ago, but I also like to keep my brain in shape by exercising it with new knowledge (on a variety of topics including, but not limited to computers).

While I'm reading these articles, I like to keep my eye out for any important or valuable info I can pass on to you, my reader. Well, recently I read an interesting, and kind of worrying article that was done at North Carolina State University.

The study showed that most Internet users can't tell the difference between fake popup warning messages, and real messages.

The big problem with this is that there are a lot of websites out there, as well as malicious programs like adware and spyware that can infect your computer (especially if you use Windows instead of a Mac) which will pop up bogus warnings and error messages to try to trick you into installing dangerous programs on your computer without your knowledge.

The study also showed that people were clicking the "OK" button on those windows 63% of the time, even though the people in the study had been warned in advance that they'd be getting bogus messages!

So how do you know what to do to protect yourself?

Well, one rule of thumb is to be suspicious of any windows that suddenly appear on your screen while you're web browsing. *Especially* if the message says anything about installing or downloading software, or scanning your computer for problems.

Most true error messages on Windows computers will pop up from down on the Task Bar, which runs along the bottom of your screen. So if you see a warning message that appears somewhere else on the screen, you should be suspicious of it, and it's usually best to close it with the red X button in the upper corner of the window, and don't click buttons labeled "OK" or "scan computer", or anything else.

If you use a Mac, you tend to get very few true warning messages compared to Windows users, and you should be able to tell which program is giving you the message by looking up on your menu bar next to the Apple Menu (upper left corner of the screen) and read the title of the menu next to the Apple Menu.

The menu immediately to the right of the Apple Menu always will say the name of whichever program you're in, so if you are looking at a window with some sort of warning message in it, and the menu next to the Apple says "Safari" (or "Firefox" if you use Mozilla Firefox instead of Safari to view Web pages) then that's a dead giveaway that the error message is coming from a website and should not be trusted.

In either case (whether you use a Mac or a Windows PC) you should close these error messages by clicking the red close button. This is located in the upper left corner of a Mac window, and in the upper right corner of a Windows window.

And one more thing -- when you click the close button, make sure you click the real one.

Believe it or not, some of the people out there who are trying to scam you with those false warnings will go so far as to put a fake close button inside the window, hoping you click the fake close button and end up installing the dangerous software anyway! The real close button will always be in the top corner of the window, not lower down.

So hopefully these tips will help you stay safe and avoid problems.

Of course, the best way to avoid problems is to arm yourself with knowledge. If you haven't done so yet, you can educate yourself in a simple, easy way with my easy computer lesson CDs.

Due to popular demand, I've made a comprehensive list of each and every one of my quick & easy Plain English computer lessons in my bundles of lesson CDs, which you can see by visiting the following page on my site...

If you have an Apple Mac (including MacBook, iMac, iBook, etc.) then click the following link:

Ultimate Beginners Bundle of Basic Computer Lessons for Apple Mac

or if you have a Windows PC (Sony, HP, Dell, etc.), click this link:

Ultimate Beginners Bundle of Basic Computer Lessons for Windows

until next time, stay safe, and enjoy,

Worth Godwin

P.S. If you've been thinking about getting my easy computer lesson CDs, click on the link for your type of computer ASAP -- I'm going to be raising the price on my bundles of CDs in a few days, so you don't want to miss out on saving on these lessons while you can.

The links again are:

If you have an Apple Mac (including MacBook, iMac, iBook, etc.) then click the following link:

http://www.worthgodwin.com/mac/ultimate.html

or if you have a Windows PC (Sony, HP, Dell, etc.), click this link:

http://www.worthgodwin.com/windows/ultimate.html

What is DRM, and the Pros and Cons of Buying Music Online

What is DRM, and the Pros and Cons of Buying Music Online

In this issue of my newsletter, I want to talk about something called DRM. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management, and if you ever have purched music (or movies and TV shows for that matter) online, or are thinking about doing so in the future, it's important for you to know about DRM and understand how it affects you.

Basically, DRM is something the recording industry (including music, film, etc.) is very gung-ho about, and is a way for them to put limits on what you buy. And really, in a way, is a way for them to keep you from really owning what you've paid for.

You may remember that back in the early 1980s, a lot of big companies from the movie industry were freaking out over the idea of VCRs, since they figured it would cause everyone in the world to steal their movies and never pay for them. As a result, they tried to sue to keep VCRs off the market.

Fortunately, the courts decided that this was unreasonable, and established "fair use" laws that allowed you to tape a show and watch it later, or even make a backup copy of movies you bought, as long as you didn't try to sell, rent, etc. the copy.

After that, the recording industry (which I'll use as a blanket term to cover the music labels, broadcast & cable TV companies, the film industry, etc.) got upset about CDs and DVDs, and tried (with varying success) to build in copy protection methods to prevent you from even making a backup copy of your music or your movies.

Even though this is a perfectly reasonable thing for you to want to be able to do, in case you scratch a DVD for example.

The recording industry has basically had a habit of treating their customers as criminals, and has fought tooth and nail against any new technology as it came along, like CD & DVD burners in home computers, iPods and other portable music players, MP3s, etc.

Which brings me to DRM.

DRM is the recording industry's way of saying that when you buy music, or a TV show, or a movie, that you're not *really* buying it, and so you have no right to be able to play it or keep it the way you want, and you basically have to ask their permission to use it. Even though you've paid for it.

Unless you get DRM-free music (more on this in a moment), then the song, TV show, etc. that you "bought" comes with special code in it that prevents it from being played how and when you want it.

The computer has to be connected to the Internet and check in with a special computer called a "DRM license key server" to make sure you're allowed to play it. And if you want to copy it from an old computer to a new one, or put it on an iPod, burn it on a CD, etc. you need to be authorized to do so, and your computer has to ask permission.

Imagine you'd bought a CD at the store and played it on your home stereo, then decided to listen to it in the car, and when you tried, instead of the music, all you heard was a voice saying "Nope! Too bad. You've played it in one CD player already, that's all you get!"

You probably wouldn't be too happy about that, would you? Well that's pretty much what we're talking about here.

There are a variety of places you can legally buy music and video these days, including Napster (which originally was for sharing music without paying for it), and iTunes, as well as several others. Most of what these online stores sell has this DRM in it, because the recording industry refused to let them sell it otherwise.

iTunes now (and for a while now) has *some* of their music in "iTunes Plus", which is better sound quality form, which has no DRM. You can find these songs by going to the iTunes Store and clicking the "iTunes Plus" link on the right. Everything in that section of the store is DRM-free, but only a limited amount of the music is available there (due to the recording industry).

Now this may just sound like an inconvenience, but not really a *big* problem. After all, the average person doesn't own multiple computers and want to put their music on all of them, and put it on an iPod, etc., and so probably won't have to worry about these restrictions, right?

Well, there's another problem: Microsoft tried having their own music store at one point, as did Yahoo, but both have closed the doors on their music stores. As a result, they want to shut down their DRM license key servers (the computers that keep track of whether you own a song or video, and give your computer or iPod, etc. permission to play the song or video). But when they do, that's when you have a big problem.

Anyone who bought music from the Microsoft MSN music store or the Yahoo music store will not be able to keep playing their music at some point after those servers get shut down. It may not be a problem right away, but if those people buy a new computer and want to move their music over to it, the music won't play on the computer. And if they get a new music player like an iPod, same problem.

For this very reason, when I buy music I'm still a *lot* more likely to buy a CD than to buy a song online, just as I'm more likely to buy a DVD (or Blu-Ray disc) than I am to buy a download of a movie. I do buy music from iTunes sometimes, but I'm careful only to get the DRM-free "iTunes Plus" music.

It may seem funny coming from someone who is as into technology as I am, but sometimes it's best to stick with older technology. Especially when some giant corporation is too scared of new technology and distrustful of their own customers to allow the new technology to work the way it should, in the interests of you and me.

Hope that makes sense.

Hawaii Senior Computer Classes - What's the Best Option for Senior Citizen Computer Instruction?

Hawaii Senior Computer Classes - What's the Best Option for Senior Citizen Computer Instruction?

A lot of seniors feel very challenged or even intimidated by their computers, both here in Hawaii, as well as elsewhere.

It's important to realize, despite how you might feel about it, if you're a senior and you're struggling to learn computers, you're not alone, and most importantly: it's not your fault!

The fact is, computer classes for seniors (or anyone for that matter) are really not the best way to learn basic computer skills. Aside from often being inconvenient to get to, classes aren't actually a good way to learn at all.

People learn best in short lessons (less than 30 minutes is ideal, according to scientific studies) and it's easier to learn if you have lessons that:

1. show you step by step how to use the computer, so you can watch how it's done before you try it yourself
2. have simple, plain English explanations that don't use a lot of technical jargon and gobbledygook -- you're no dummy, but you know you want to keep it simple so you can learn easily
3. have an easy, no-pressure, comfortable format that lets you learn at your own pace, on your own time, instead of being forced into a class schedule which might not be the time of day when you're the most sharp and have the most energy
4. Let you go back and review whenever you need, quickly and easily, without any extra expense

Obviously Hawaii senior computer classes, or senior citizen computer instruction of any kind in a classroom environment doesn't empower you with computers in the way you really need. So what can you do?

My suggestion is to take a look at video computer lessons on CD and online -- with the right instructor, they truly can be the easiest way to learn computers. These lessons are time-tested to work with seniors and anyone who is computer challenged, and are available for Windows or Apple Mac computers.

Chose one of the links below to find out more about these easy lessons:

Click for easy computer basics for Windows PCs
or
Click for easy computer basics for Apple Macintosh

Why Is Internet Safety Important - A Simple Answer

From time to time I people ask me "Why is Internet safety important?" "Why should I worry about it? I've got nothing to hide." If you're not thinking that Internet safety is important, then you're making a mistake.

There's a variety of reasons that people think Internet safety and security don't really matter for them -- maybe they don't think they keep anything important on their computer, so even if someone got into their computer they wouldn't find anything; they may not realize that wherever they go on the Internet they leave tracks and clues about themselves; they may just never have thought about it at all.

Now the Internet is a wonderful thing, and I use it constantly every day without fear, but that doesn't mean I use it heedlessly and without thinking about Internet safety.

When you're on the Web, you should think of it kind of like walking down the street -- if you live in a small town you probably don't think much about walking around downtown, and you probably feel pretty safe.

And even if you live in a big city, you may feel pretty comfortable, too, since you know your way around and you know how to handle yourself.

But on the other hand, how would you feel walking down the street in the most crime-ridden part of a bad city in the middle of the night by yourself, dragging your wallet or purse on a string behind you while heedlessly listening to music on headphones and never looking at your surroundings?

The thing people don't realize about Internet security is that even if you live in a safe, secure small town with no crime, when you go on the Internet there is no real border between the "good neighborhoods" and the "bad neighborhoods", so you need to take a few basic precautions to protect yourself on the Web.

Here are a few suggestions:

1) Make sure you use a good firewall program on your computer; regardless of whether you use a Windows PC or one of Apple's Macs, this is absolutely essential
2) If you have DSL or cable Internet access, get a router and hook it up between your DSL or cable modem and your computer. Not only does a router allow you to share the connection between multiple computers, it also has a firewall built in to it, which adds another layer of valuable protection against threats from the Internet. And yes, this should be *in addition* to the firewall program on your computer
3) If you have a Windows PC, make sure you have a good antivirus program such as Kaspersky antivirus, that is still activated and up-to-date. Many people have poor quality antivirus programs and it's common for them to have expired after a trial period or the yearly subscription has run out, which means they're no longer protecting you.
Mac users do not at this time need an antivirus program, but this may change in the future
4) Use a strong password, preferably a mix of letters and numbers that is at least 8 characters long, and which is not easy to guess like your name or a pet's name, etc., and don't use the same password for everything.
5) If you post in public forums online, or use a social networking website like MySpace or Facebook, don't put too much personal information in your profile.
It is extremely common for people to share all kinds of information about themselves on their profile page, including birth date, pet names, children's names, address, etc. -- all of which might give a clue to passwords, answers to those "reset your password" security questions that you're asked if you forget your password on a website, and other clues that could be used for identity theft.
Most of these social networking sites let you set your profile to private, so only people you've added as friends can see what's on the profile. This is also a good idea.
6) Remember that email is not truly private, any more than a postcard is, so never put credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. in an email
7) Do your Windows Updates (PCs) or Software Updates (Mac) regularly to keep your computer's software current and "patched" so security holes have been fixed.

These are just a few reasons you need to be safe on the Internet. Hopefully these safety tips will help you remain secure online and have helped answer the question "why is Internet safety important?".

Until next time, be safe, and enjoy,

Worth Godwin

P.S. You will find lessons and tips on computer and Internet safety and how to avoid common mistakes in my easy computer lessons Gold Club members-only area, as well as many other lessons to help make your computer safe and easy. If you're not yet a member, you can try it for free by clicking the link below.

Free trial to Worth's Easy Computer Training Gold Club

Computer questions answered: question from Carla about using Mozilla Firefox

A computer question from Carla about using Mozilla Firefox

I got another email recently from a subscriber named Carla who asks a very good question:

" Hi Worth, My computer in a Compaq. And just recently I downloaded the Microsoft 2007 to update for the computer course I'm taking online. What I was wondering was, would it be safe to download the Mozilla Firefox onto my computer you talked about in one of your emails. I wanted to ask before doing it. Don't want to mess up more than I usually do. "

Hi Carla, I'd be glad to answer that for you.

First off, I assume you're saying you installed Microsoft Office 2007?

Understand, I'm not criticizing at all, just helping to explain computer terms that a lot of people understandably mix up, so we're all on the same page and understand each other.

To clarify, as I explained in my last email, "download" means to deliver something to your computer like delivering something you ordered from a catalog by mail or FedEx, while "install" means to set it up for use just like you have to set up a TV before you can use it by plugging in the cables, etc.

Also, Microsoft is the name of the company that makes Windows and Microsoft Office -- Office is the suite of programs including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which are used by millions of Windows and Mac users across the world.

Again, it's OK if you misunderstood or misused these terms before; it's a common mix-up and since so many people use the wrong terms, you end up learning the wrong info by example. But that's what I'm here to help with.

Also, as a side note, Office can be very expensive, and there is actually a free alternative called OpenOffice for Windows, or NeoOffice for Mac. These programs offer all the same basic features as the programs in Office, but literally cost nothing, and yet still allow you to share Word documents, Excel documents, etc. with others.

I cover how to download and install it on my Simple Secrets of Word CD that comes with my Ultimate Beginners Bundle of CDs that's available to Gold Club members at a huge discount (in fact, the entire Ulitimate Beginners Bundle only costs about as much as a single visit from a good consultant, but covers more in the dozens of quick, easy lessons than you'd be able to cover in 10 visits from a consultant). You can even order them with the discount while you're still in the free trial period for the Easy Computer Lessons Gold Club.

But to answer your question, now that we're on the same page with the computer terminology, it should be perfectly safe to download and then install Mozilla Firefox onto your computer. It's set up to be pretty straightforward to install, and using it instead of Internet Explorer can help you *avoid* potential problems because of the increased security.

Again, if you feel more comfortable with the idea of seeing it done and being walked through it step-by-step, any current Gold Club members or people who sign up in the next few days will get video lessons with all of the steps on one of the 2 CDs I'll be sending out around the end of the month as part of the regular monthly shipment.

Here's the thing about Mozilla Firefox, or any "web browser" (a program that lets you view web pages).

Web browsers are like cars -- they are vehicles to take you places on the Internet. And just like cars, nothing prevents you from having two of them in the garage so you can drive either one at any time.

Now understand, as I've mentioned, "driving" Internet Explorer is a lot less safe than Mozilla Firefox, generally speaking. But occasionally you might run into a minority of sites that just won't work with Firefox.

This is not because of anything deficient in Firefox, it's actually a lot more to do with lazy web designers who are used to designing their sites for Internet Explorer, or in some cases Microsoft has bribed or otherwise convinced a company to exclusively work with Internet Explorer.

This sort of behavior has gotten Microsoft in hot water more than once, but they have deep pockets so they don't ever stop trying to create a monopoly for themselves. Not very nice on their part, since the little people like you and me end up caught in the middle.

Fortunately this is rare, but in these cases if you have a known legitimate site that only works with Internet Explorer, it will still be "in the garage" so you can just use that to visit that one site, then go back to Firefox for everything else, and be a lot safer in the process.

Hope that helps and makes sense.

until next time, stay safe and enjoy,

Worth Godwin


P.S. If you have computer questions, feel free to subscribe to my free newsletter using the form below, and reply to any of my newsletter emails and I may answer the question in a future newsletter email. I also have a monthly live computer Q&A call-in where you can ask computer questions online, which I announce to my newsletter.

P.P.S. As I mentioned in my last email, I'll be recording video lessons for Windows and Mac that show step-by-step how to download and install the new version of Firefox, as well as an overview of using it on this month's Gold Club video lesson CD, and the lessons will also be available on the password-protected Gold Club members-only area of my website.

If you'd like to join in and empower yourself with more knowledge about the computer and how to make it easier, more fun, and more safe & secure, you can take advantage of my free trial membership to the computer lessons Gold Club right now and gain instant access to a large library of my video and audio computer lessons.

What Does Download Mean - Computer Terminology Explained

In this article I will answer the questions "what does download mean", "what does install mean" and help you understand some commonly misunderstood computer terminology.

I got an email a couple of days ago in response to my last computer tips newsletter where I talked about the importance of using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

A subscriber in Texas named James wrote me the next day and said:

"Dear Mr. Godwin,

I just switched to Firefox, and am having a problem downloading Flash Player. A message tells me I have to close Firefox in order to download it. How can I possibly do that when I'm actually using Firefox as a browser. That's rather like trying to pull myself up by my bootstraps! I'd appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks.

James"

First off James, you made the right decision by switching to Firefox. As I mentioned in my last email, it is a *much* safer option than Internet Explorer, and if you have a Windows computer you're really making a mistake by continuing to use IE (Internet Explorer).

Apple's Mac computers don't have the same security risks, but it also is a good idea for Mac users to avoid IE since it is so out of date that there are not only some security risks in using it, but many websites won't work.

What I think James is running in to is a common misunderstanding of two computer terms -- "downloading" and "installing".

Before I explain the two terms, let me first say that it's not your fault if you misunderstood or confused these terms -- it's very common, and is due to other people misusing the terms around you, as well as because no one has ever explained them in a clear and easy way.

Here's an easy way to understand the two terms "download" and "install".

Downloading is like delivery -- imagine you have ordered something from a catalog, or Amazon.com or someplace. Let's say it's a TV set.

Before you can use the TV set it has to be delivered to you -- shipped to you -- and this is basically what downloading is. A file (like the Mozilla Firefox installer program) has to be sent "down" to your computer (coming from the Internet is down, sending to the Internet is up, so downloading is coming "down" from the Internet from a web page or an email, etc., while uploading is sending it "up" to the Internet to a webpage or via email, etc.)

So if you want to use Firefox, or Flash Player, or other programs, you need to download them and then you need to "install" them.

So downloading is the delivery of the TV, to go back to our analogy, but before you can use the TV you still need to take it out of the box, put it on the stand, plug it in, etc. Set it up for use -- in other words, install it.

So once you've downloaded a program, you then "install" it to get it ready to use.

And here's where I think maybe you're confusing two terms, which is completely OK on your part, but if Adobe (who makes Flash player) is using the term incorrectly on their website, that is not excusable because they should know better. Again, I don't blame you one bit if you've mixed up the terms, it's a very common mistake, but Adobe should know better.

What you need to do is close Firefox once you've downloaded Flash Player, but before you *install* it. This is because Flash Player has to add some information to Firefox, and if Firefox is running, it can't do it. Kind of like how if you're standing on a rug, you can't pick it up to clean it.

Make sense?

So what you need to do James is download Flash Player, then completely close Firefox and *install* Flash Player, by double-clicking the icon of the file you download from Adobe's site, and then it should work.

Hope that helps and makes sense!

Until later, take care and enjoy,

Worth Godwin

P.S. If you have computer questions, feel free to join my free computer tips newsletter, and reply to any of my emails with your question and I'll answer it in a future newsletter email. I also have a monthly live computer Q&A call-in -- I'll be announcing the next one soon in a future email.

P.P.S. As I mentioned in my last email, I'll be recording video lessons for Windows and Mac that show step-by-step how to download and install the new version of Firefox, as well as an overview of using it on this month's Gold Club video lesson CD, and the lessons will also be available on the password-protected Gold Club members-only area of my website.

If you'd like to join in and empower yourself with more knowledge about the computer and how to make it easier, more fun, and more safe & secure, you can take advantage of my free trial membership to the easy computer lessons Gold Club right now and gain instant access to a large library of my video and audio computer lessons by clicking the links.

Computer Freezing and Tips for Computer Safety

Sometimes it doesn't pay to go on vacation.

I took about a week off work for the first time in about a year and a half and I'm still trying to play catch-up with my backlog of emails and other work.

Here's a computer question I got from a subscriber in the UK named Paul who wrote me a couple of days before I went on vacation. Paul wrote:

"Dear sir...lately my computer has started to lock and the top third of the screen..( 22inch) has changed to a pinky colour..It seems to lock after i open up a ...click here....to read something or enter a small competion...I have to restart my computer...an inspiron 530 3 memory and 640 hard drive..I am not too good with computers..I left it late in life if you know what i mean but i enjoy having a go..."

First off, Paul, let me say congratulations on having a go at learning computers -- a lot of people get discouraged by not having grown up using them, but in my experience, anyone can learn to confidently use computers if they believe in themselves and get the right help.

So there's a couple of things I want to respond to in your email. The first being the locking up and the pink color -- first off, since I'm obviously not able to look at your computer directly, it's not possible for me to make a 100% definite diagnosis of the problem.

The way you're describing what happens makes it sound like it *may* be something wrong with your "video card", which is the part of the computer that actually "draws" the picture on the computer's screen.

The fact that it seems to happen after you click to certain websites, on the other hand, makes it sound more like it may be something fishy about the website you're going to.

It's really hard for me to say without a little more specifics. If you lived here on the island, you could have me take a look at it directly and I could figure out exactly what's going on, but obviously that's not possible with you living many thousands of miles away.

Here are a few tips that can help you avoid problems, assuming it's not an actual hardware problem -- i.e. a physical problem with a part in the computer, like the video card.

Tip #1) Do not use Internet Explorer (the blue "E" icon) to browse the Web. It is generally a *lot* less safe than other options. In some cases, just visiting a website with malicious software in it can infect your computer. Windows users should go to Mozilla.com to download the free Mozilla Firefox. It is a huge mistake to use Internet Explorer, yet unfortunately most Windows users are still using it.

While Apple's Mac computers have pretty much *none* of the many many threats out there for Windows computers (i.e. they have no viruses, worms, adware, spyware, etc.), Mac users reading this can use Mozilla Firefox too, but the program Safari that comes on all modern Macs is perfectly fine, too. Internet Explorer should be avoided on Macs too, but mainly because it hasn't been updated in so long, many websites just won't work with it anymore.

A new version of Mozilla Firefox came out pretty recently, so I will be recording video lessons showing step-by-step exactly how to download, install, and use it for this month's Gold Club lessons. If you're not a Gold Club member, you can sign up for a free trial at:

Get Free trial of Worth's Easy Computer Lessons Gold Club

Tip #2) Be careful about what websites you go to, especially if they're asking for personal information -- there are some "bad neighborhoods" on the Internet, so to speak, where the website owners are less than honest. Two of the most common types of risky sites are adult sites and gambling or competition sites.

While what you do on your own time is your business, just be aware that when you go to *some* of those sites, they tend to be in a "bad neighborhood" and they tend to me more likely to try to infect your computer, or collect information for identity theft, etc.

Again, if you avoid using Internet Explorer on a PC, and use Mozilla Firefox instead, you lower the risk of being attacked by a malicious program like a virus, but try to stick to known-legit sites if you're entering a competition, and don't go to one you see advertised in a pop-up ad, etc.

until later, take care and stay safe,

Worth Godwin

P.S. Again, if you really want to skyrocket your computer confidence and skill, take advantage of your free trial to my Easy Computer Lessons Gold Club -- you get instant access to easy online lessons in a special password protected area of my website, filled with video lessons, audio lessons, an archive of my past Computer Q&A events, my special reports on avoiding common and costly computer mistakes, and more, plus 2 easy lesson CDs sent each month.

You can sign up for the free trial by visiting the following link:

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Video computer lesson: Tips to make it easy to learn basic computer skills and more Pt 2

In this video computer lesson I continue my series of tips to make learning the computer easier. In this segment, I talk about some of the traditional ways to learn the computer, and why those traditional methods really don't work well.

Video computer lesson: Tips to make it easy to learn basic computer skills and more

In this video computer lesson I give the first of a series of tips on how to make it much easier to learn basic computer skills and more. These tips are based on one of my biggest non-computer-related interests: how the human mind works.
Because I'm basing this series of lessons on fundamental principles of how the human mind works, the information I cover in this video lesson actually can help you learn any skill, not just how to master basic computer skills.