Previously, I have blogged about and discouraged the use of “snake oil software”. These programs promise to work miracles on your computer, but are generally about as useful as the Close Door button in an elevator. But Microsoft has surprised me. They’ve devised a helpful system cleanup tool, containing 0% Snake Oil! Check out Microsoft … Read more
If you’re installing Adobe Reader to handle your PDFs, you’ll want the free download for Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. But please be aware that even the renowned Adobe company tries to put extra apps on your computer when you get this software. If you are not careful, you’ll install Adobe Reader & its bundleware! It’s … Read more
Remote-control scammers are dreadful. They get inside your head and your computer, and do whatever it takes to get into your bank accounts. I really hope you can avoid being tricked by these awful people. But in case you find yourself in a jackpot with these jokers, I need to tell you about one of … Read more
Need to keep your computer awake? You could adjust your power and screensaver settings, to keep the computer from going into Sleep mode and showing the Lock screen. Or you might try Caffeine. Caffeine is a small program that you can toggle on and off easily. Its icon lives in your taskbar or menu bar. … Read more
If you’re looking to do a bit of design or layout yourself, you do not have to spend big bucks on subscription software. Adobe Indesign & Microsoft Publisher are not the only games in town. There are a lot of free graphic design tools for you to try. Check out these software and apps:
Update for 2024: This doesn’t surprise me. With the US ban on Kaspersky Antivirus, the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool has also been removed and made unavailable. You could use a VPN to chase down this tool, but it’s easier to just use a different program. Here’s another freebie that can do a one-time virus scan … Read more
Microsoft offers a batch of extra tools and utilities for anyone to add to their Windows computers. These “Power Toys” come bundled together as a single free download, and you can get them here or from the Microsoft Store. Some of these tools are basic while others are for advanced users, so breeze through the … Read more
Stinger is a quick scan tool for your PC that can detect and remove a specific set of viruses and trojans. If you have reason to think you’re infected, you can download Stinger for free and use it anytime. It won’t conflict with your full-time antivirus, and it won’t try to sell you anything. There … Read more
Many people continue to use vintage computers, running operating systems that are past their end-of-support date. While I recommend that these users upgrade to something modern and more secure, I understand when they stick with their classic machines. I don’t judge. But if those computers are going to hit the internet, they do need antivirus. … Read more
If you’re looking to play a DVD movie on your Windows computer, chances are it won’t work. When you insert the DVD, your machine will spin and hum and eventually tell you, “Couldn’t open file” or some other frustratingly vague error. In any case, Windows 10 and 11 no longer have the necessary files (codecs) … Read more