T 'n' T: Make a Date With Windows Update - 1/28/2002 When it comes to security fixes and performance improvements, Windows is a work in progress. Microsoft's online updates-and-patches delivery has grown smoother and more sophisticated, but Gregg Keizer's tips can give you truly optimal optimization -- whether you're running Windows XP or an earlier version.
T 'n' T: May the Power Source Be With You - 1/23/2002 Want your desktop PC to start faster, or your notebook to last longer? The trick is in Windows' power management settings: Gregg Keizer's tips this week help you squeeze the most battery life from your laptop without risking sudden data loss, tell your desktop to turn off by itself or start up with your favorite applications and files ready for work, and more.
T 'n' T: Mo' Dem Secrets - 8/26/2002 Windows ace Gregg Keizer is glad you're taking the time to read his tips 'n' tricks; he just wants you to spend less time loading them. This week, he offers five ways that dial-up modem users (still the majority of surfers, despite cable and DSL chic) can get online quicker and more conveniently.
T 'n' T: On Your Mark, Get Set, Tweak! - 4/1/2002 The Start menu and Control Panel hide a handful of ways to configure, customize, or add convenience to Windows, but you haven't really used the operating system until you've tweaked it. In this week's Tips 'n' Tricks, Gregg Keizer presents five versatile tweaking toolkits for Win 98, Me, 2000, and XP, from Microsoft's legendary TweakUI to freeware and shareware favorites.
T 'n' T: Readers' Greatest Hits - 7/8/2002 Gregg Keizer may be the king of tips 'n' tricks, but WinPlanet readers are the power behind the throne -- and this week, Gregg shares four nifty enhancements (and one, ahem, correction) suggested by Windows-savvy civilians. From forcing Explorer to honor your display preferences to sorting programs' File/Open document lists, the request lines are open.
T 'n' T: Rock the Taskbar - 4/8/2002 Don't look down -- that strip at the bottom of your screen isn't pulling its weight. Windows' taskbar is a handy indicator of the programs and documents you're working with, but these five tips 'n' tricks can make it do more -- including hiding or moving the taskbar or controlling it with your keyboard instead of your mouse.
T 'n' T: Save Our Screens - 5/20/2002 Today's monitors don't need them the way '80s displays did, but most of us still like to use Windows screensavers. This week's tips 'n' tricks offer both plain and fancy ways to make your own screensavers, disable or delete unwanted ones, and save energy by letting your CRT catch a few ZZZ's.
T 'n' T: Search Party - 6/24/2002 Today's huge hard disks are wonderful -- until you're looking for that crucial file that doesn't seem to be in your work folder with its fellows. Before you waste time ransacking My Documents and clicking on forgotten filenames, take a deep breath and take advantage of this week's tips 'n' tricks for using (and for times when you don't want someone using) Windows' built-in search tool.
T 'n' T: Shaving Seconds - 6/17/2002 If time is money, this week's tips 'n' tricks are pocket change -- they may not let you go home an hour earlier, but over time they'll save enough moments, keystrokes, and mouse clicks to make your Windows work a bit more productive. Besides, who wants to look at the same old startup and dial-up screens several times a day?
T 'n' T: Sound Off, Sound On - 5/13/2002 Customizing your Windows startup and shutdown sounds is fun, but dealing with the operating system's other audio feedback can be an earache. Here are five tips for spiking Internet Explorer 6.0's annoying sound effects, muting and restoring Windows' sounds with a single click, optimizing CD audio quality, and more.
T 'n' T: Stupid Mouse Tricks - 4/22/2002 Push it around, point, click -- you use your mouse a thousand times a day, but are you using it for more than the basics? This week's tips 'n' tricks concern good mousekeeping: saving clicks and keystrokes, reading Internet Explorer pages without eyestrain, finding wayward pointers, and reducing the risk of painful carpal tunnel syndrome.
T 'n' T: Sync Smart - 2/26/2002 There's Windows' built-in, bare-bones Briefcase, and there are some powerful, pricey third-party utilities -- but isn't there anything in between for users trying to keep much-used documents up to date on both a desktop and laptop? WinPlanet tips 'n' trickster Gregg Keizer helps two-PC commuters stay sane and synchronized with five time-, file-, and battery-saving solutions.
T 'n' T: Take Control of the Control Panel - 3/25/2002 You probably visit Windows' Control Panel at least every few days to tweak a setting or change a default. But have you tweaked the Control Panel itself? This week's tips 'n' tricks help you do everything from removing unwanted modules or applets to remodeling the Control Panel as a toolbar or pop-up menu for faster access.
T 'n' T: The Way We Were - 2/11/2002 Microsoft says Windows XP's visual makeover makes the OS smarter and simpler to use. Apple fans say it bears an uncanny resemblance to Mac OS X. And many XP users say they appreciate the extra performance and stability, but can do without the jumbo buttons and self-arranging Start menu. For them, this week's tips 'n' tricks help you undo Redmond's redesigns of everything from the desktop to Control Panel.
T 'n' T: Time Trials - 7/22/2002 What time is it? If you glanced at the bottom right of your screen instead of your wristwatch, you're a real Windows pro. So is tips 'n' tricks guru Gregg Keizer, who's collected five ideas for optimizing, updating, or replacing the familiar system-tray clock (did you know you needn't switch to Outlook to check a monthly calendar)?
T 'n' T: Top Five Turn-Offs - 3/18/2002 Gregg Keizer's Tips 'n' Tricks column usually explores various helpful features within Windows -- but this week, he's out to shut down some not-so-helpful ones. Check out these five quick fixes for some of the operating system's more annoying intrusions.
T 'n' T: Tray Cool - 7/29/2002 The system tray at the end of Windows' taskbar is a neat place to check the time or monitor a few essential utilities, but too many programs flood the tray with too many icons. This week's tips 'n' tricks help you clean up the system tray -- hiding icons from view, or perking up performance by getting rid of them altogether -- and keep those binary barnacles from coming back.
T 'n' T: Turn Back the Clock - 6/10/2002 Windows tips 'n' tricks? Why, in Gregg's day, we had real tips 'n' tricks, not like the young whippersnappers nowadays. Shift Windows into reverse with five retro suggestions, ranging from amusing (typewriter sound effects for your keyboard) to functional (cool display fonts and powerful file managers).
T 'n' T: Up With Downloads - 3/4/2002 Windows is a great operating system, but it gets even better when you think outside the box -- the shrink-wrapped box, that is, with regular visits to Microsoft's download library. The company's newest online offerings do everything from plugging security holes and ironing out mouse-driver incompatibilities to letting you install Windows XP even if your PC can't boot from a CD.
T 'n' T: What's New? - 8/12/2002 Right-click the Windows desktop, and you'll see one of the operating system's handiest -- and least used -- features, the New menu. This week's tips 'n' tricks let you decide which document types and templates get this quick-start treatment, eliminating unwanted entries and making sure your favorite files are only a click away.
T 'n' T: What's the Password? - 6/3/2002 Whether you're leaving your PC switched off for the weekend while you're in the country, or idle for 10 minutes while you're down the hall, password protection is a smart, simple way to fend off nosy colleagues or careless kids. This week's tips 'n' tricks strike a balance, helping make your PC more secure without making your routine impossibly complicated.
T 'n' T: Win 95/98/Me's Achilles Heel - 8/5/2002 Remember buying a pretty helium balloon at the fair, only to see it shrivel and sag over the next few days at home? Well, Windows 95/98/Me can do the same thing after a few hours' computing. If you haven't switched to Win 2000 or XP, here's how to monitor the crucial -- and, alas, leak-prone -- system resources that keep your PC up and running.
Taming a Network Printer for the Home - 12/29/2004 The good news is your company has finally upgraded its hardware and has given you one of its retired printers. The bad news is that reconfiguring a printer built for corporate workgroups to function on your home network will take a bit of fussing. Fear not. We walk you through the process.
Taskbar Tamer 1.10 - 5/29/1999 Tired of toolbars usurping valuable screen space? Put them out to pasture and replace them all with this clever little toolbar for Windows 95.
Taskbar Tutorial - 6/1/1999 Windows 3.x always supported having more than one application open at a time, but it was a total kludge. Windows 95 solved that problem with the introduction of the Taskbar--click here to learn how to exploit this new feature to its full potential.
Tennyson Maxwell Teleport Pro 1.29 - 4/20/2000 Teleport Pro touts itself as a personal spider or a WebRover. What does it do exactly, though? Find out in this review!
Terminal Overdrive 2000 - 6/6/2000 TO2000 is a complete internet management tool that allows better, faster, easier surfing.
Textpad 3.2 - 5/29/1999 Textpad 3.2 is an extremely fast and capable text editor that comes in 16 and 32 bit versions for Microsoft Windows. It is a powerful replacement for Notepad that can really get the job done.
TextPad 4.1 - 4/5/2000 If you have been looking for a text editor to replace the standard Windows Notepad, check out TextPad. Jim Fox tells you why you might want to make this your preferred, default text editor.
The Art of Transferring Large Files - 9/18/2006 Some files are just too big to send via e-mail. However, you don't have to resort to burning a CD and snail mail. We review the options for getting large files from here to there.
The Great Migration: Upgrading to Windows Vista - 4/9/2007 Vista: For most of us it's not a question of will we switch, but when. We talked to two experts to find out what you need to consider before, during, and after the great migration.
The Importance of Backup Systems - 5/1/2006 Even though most of us know that we need to do regular backups, the fact is that many us don't. In part 1 of a two-part series, we review why it's important to perform these backups on a regular basis.
The Importance of Backup Systems - Part 2 - 5/11/2006 There's more than one way to back up your network. In Part 2 of our two-part series on preparing for disaster, we look at your hardware and software options for implementing an efficient backup strategy.
The Inner Workings of Robots, Spiders, and Web Crawlers - 9/16/2004 Robots, a.k.a. spiders or Web crawlers, are used to feed data to a user, such as Google. Most robots are useful, but some, such as EmailSiphon and Cherry Picker are spambots. Learn what robots do and how to gain control over them in this tutorial from Lee Underwood.
The Lowdown on Wi-Fi Security: From Supplicants to Keys - 4/10/2006 While you should never just assume your wireless communication is secure, securing your WLAN doesn't have to be a trial. However, it does help to be aware of — and understand — the complexities.
The Open Source WRT54G Story - 11/21/2005 Linksys gave wireless home network tweakers a gift in its Linux-based router. Here's how you can get started with open source firmware upgrades.
The Real Plus Pack: PowerToys for Windows XP - 11/10/2001 Refused to get XP until it got a version of Tweak UI? The wait for an upgraded customizing toolkit is over -- and the legions long hooked on making Windows work quicker, adding cool shortcut tricks and cleaning out unwanted interface items, can celebrate the release of a new edition of Microsoft's fun power-user freeware.
Three Roads to Network Printing - 3/12/2007 Having a printer for each computer on your network is usually overkill. A better use of money and space is to set up a networked printer that everyone can share. This week, we explore three printer sharing methods and discuss the pros and cons of each.
Three Tips to Perk Up PC Performance - 11/8/2004 Improve your company's PC performance — without spending a fortune or calling for tech support.
Tips and Tools for Erasing Your Web Trail - 10/18/2004 If your Web surfing has taken you to places you'd rather not have your boss (or anyone else for that matter) know about, here are some techniques and some products you can use to help erase the trail.
