Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
August 01, 2005
Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter
http://www.terryscomputertips.com
A computer tips newsletter for users of PC's.
Volume 1, Number 7 -- Monday, August 1, 2005
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
3. Reading Excel Files
Every once in a while, I get a question from someone who has an .xls file -- an Excel spreadsheet file -- that they can not read. They might be running an older version of Excel but be unable to read a later file format. Or, they might not have Excel and don't know what to do. There are three basic options, if you find yourself in this situation.
If you need to read the file, but do not need to edit or modify the file, your easiest solution is to download Microsoft's "Excel File Viewer 2003." You can get this by going to www.microsoft.com. Just put "Excel file viewer," without the quotes, in the search box. This will pull up a number of different options, inlcuding Excel Viewer 2003. Although it will also pull up a viewer for Excel 2000, you do not need a separate viewer -- just get the 2003 version.
If you want to edit the file, the cheapest option is to download OpenOffice.org. (Yes, that's it real name, complete with the .org on the end.) OpenOffice.org, from the website of the same name, is a free office suite that includes word processor, spreadsheet, drawing program, website editor and presentation software. Of particular interest here, it can read and write in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint file formats.
Of course, there is always the expensive option. You can always either upgrade your existing copy of Microsoft Office, if you have one, or purchase the program. Amazon.com and many other sites carry Office 2003, Office 2003 Professional and their upgrade versions.
Read more about OpenOffice.org on my web page at www.terryscomputertips.com/computers/openoffice.php. Next time you upgrade your computer, keep OpenOffice.org in mind. If you have a Microsoft Office OEM version, it is not transferrable (per the license) to a different computer, even if you quit using the other copy. That is your great opportunity to convert to OpenOffice.org.
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4. Networking Problems with Wireless
One of the challenges with wireless networking is distance. Sometimes, your wireless network will get good distance with your signal; other times, you can have problems two or three rooms away.
One of the basics of wireless networking is that it uses a very high frequency - 2.4 GHz - the same frequency used by some cordless phones. It is also the frequency on which microwave ovens operate. So, your cordless phone and your microwave might affect your wireless reception and reliability.
Another facet of the frequency is directionality. Most wireless routers and wireless cards for notebooks and desktops have "omni-directional" antennas. That is, they radiate their signal in all directions at roughly the same strength.
However, this is something of a misnomer. The antenna, sometimes a pair of antenna on a router, are 3" to 4" long. They broadcast radio waves in roughtly the same strength (so far, so good) in directions perpendicular to the antenna.
That is, if you have the antenna(s) pointing straight up or straight down, you will be able to pick up the maximum strength in other rooms on the same floor of the house. Of course, walls, windows, and ductwork will reduce the strength of the signals.
If you are trying to share the wireless signal with your office on the second story or in the basement, you will probably have trouble picking up the signal. Sometimes, you might even pick up your neighbor's wireless network instead of your own. [If you do, you need to read the wireless security articles at www.terryscomputertips.com/computers/wireless.php.]
If you point the antenna(s) at a 45 degree angle, halfway between horizontal and vertical, you can usually be successful in accessing your network from a different floor in the house.
5. Shareware/Freeware Pick of the Week
Category: System Protection Utility
My Shareware/Freeware Pick of the Week is WinPatrol. This easy-to-use, powerful program will let you take back some of the control of what runs on your computer.
The WinPatrol program is freeware. It doesn't cost you anything. You can download it for free from WinPatrol.com. There is a slightly-enhanced version called WinPatrol Plus. It has one more function in the program. More importantly, it gives you access to WinPatrol.com's online database of programs and recommendations. WinPatrol Plus is $24.95, which includes a "lifetime license." I find that the small charge is money well spent, especially since the license includes all of your family's PCs -- you don't purchase a license for each machine!
In addition to handling startup programs, WinPatrol lets you control and uninstall "IE Helpers" (also known as "Browser Helper Objects"). These are sometimes-useful extensions to Internet Explorer that add functionality to I.E. Unfortunately, there seem to be a whole lot more adware BHO's than helpful BHO's. If you get popups every time you start Internet Explorer, no matter where you go on the Internet, that is a sign of a BHO. Some of them are trojan downloaders - they download programs you haven't requested onto your computer automatically.
WinPatrol also shows you Scheduled Tasks and lets you remove them. It shows you details of all the "Services" that are part of or added to Windows XP and lets you stop or start them. You can also change whether they start automatically or not. You can control your cookies in IE and Firefox. You can change file assocations, e.g., ".xls files open in Word" can be changed to ".xls files open in OpenOffice." There are several more neat functions in WinPatrol.
WinPatrol is also a system protection utility. WinPatrol operates by scanning every few minutes for changes. If it finds certain changes, e.g. a program that is now set to start automatically, WinPatrol's Scotty dog barks and a window opens to ask you if you want to allow the program to start automatically.
Download and check out WinPatrol. It does not add a large burden to your system and it can help keep your system clean and functioning. I run it on all my computers.
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Continued in Part 3
Volume 1, Number 7 -- Monday, August 1, 2005
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Copyright © 2005 Terry A. Stockdale. All rights reserved.
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