CommenTerry

Search Engines as a Writing Aid?

Here's another great use for search engines: They can be used to find the most commonly used phrase or expression, when choosing from one or more that are similar. For example, when choosing between "different from" and "different than," I could search on both of them in a popular search engine to see which one gets the most hits. When I use Google, the former gives me 61,600,000 hits, whereas the latter gives me only 4,430,000. In this case, I would go with the first one.

Another Reason to Distrust Word Processors

A few days ago, a lady, obviously a grammarian, wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper. In it, she complained about the fact that too many people nowadays depend too heavily on word processor programs like Microsoft Word to catch their errors in spelling and grammar. She went on to list some examples of erroneous phrases that would not be caught by those types of programs. In my own experience, I have found that she is exactly right.

However, I have also found that word processors flag some perfectly correct phrases as being erroneous. Let's look at two examples of phrases that Microsoft Word (at least, the version of it that I have) will "catch", even though they are correct.

When using the phrase, "it's cheaper", the program will sometimes flag "it's" with a green underscore and suggest that "its" be used instead. But in this case, "it's" is a contraction for "it is", so an apostrophe is supposed to be used before the 's.' "Its" without the apostrophe is used for the possessive form. So, if someone didn't know any better, they would let the program mislead them into making a grammatical error.

When using the phrase, "therein lies the problem", the program will flag "lies" with the same green underscore as in the previous example and suggest that "lays" be used. However, "lies" is the correct form of the verb to use here, as it is the active form, i.e., no one is "laying" the problem anywhere. One again, taking the program's suggestions at face value would lead to a grammatical error.  

How to Create Restore Disks for a Mac

Macintosh users have been excited about the release of the newest Leopard OS X upgrades. The system requirements are a Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor, a minimum ram of 512mb, and at least 9 GB of disk space. With these specs, it means that older generation Macs like an iBook or iMac g4 should be capable of running the OS.

Because a number of people using older Macs have been experiencing installation problems, some users have developed a way to install the system using a startup disk method. In the event of a malfunction, the startup disk feature in a Mac computer disk utility application allows people to create a virtual disk to restore their computers to specific settings. This involves creating a startup disk using the Leopard installer that your Mac will restore when installing the new OS.

The following steps will help you create a restore disk for your Mac:

1) Clean up your system folder and hard drive. Remove unwanted files, empty folders, and extensions that you no longer use. Make sure you back up your files before cleaning your system.

2) Extract the image file from your installation disc and convert it to a .dmg file (an installation image file for Macs).

3) Transfer that file to an external drive like a USB drive or an IPod. When using an IPod, make sure it is set in disk mode and that you use a drive that has at least has 8 GB worth of available memory. It is important to note that this will not work on an IPhone or a media player without the disk mode option.

4) Attach your iPod or USB drive to your Mac and wait for it to appear.

5) Launch the Disk Utility application and select your external drive.

6) There should be a restore tab.  Click on it and select the image file you extracted on the “source” field.

7) Drag your external disk to the “destination” field. You should make a partition. Without a partition, the process will erase everything on your drive. If you want to partition your external drive, this can be done through the Disk utility application. Remember to make sure that your external drive is mounted.

8) Once the application is launched, simply select your external drive and select the partition. You will be given a list of partition options. Select restore. The restore process may take a few minutes.

9) When the restore process is complete, open up your system preferences.

10) Launch the start-up disk application then select the restore drive with the leopard .dmg.

11) Click restart and the Leopard will begin to install.

If you follow these easy steps, you should be able to complete your installation without any problems. The new OS has a system requirement, so if your ram is not that fast and your processor is lower than 900 MHz, do not expect the OS to run any faster. 

What to Look for When Buying a Printer

Technological advancements have resulted in more efficient ways of printing paper. Computer printers are now the standard choice for businesses and individuals. Not all printers will give you the same quality of print. There are several types of printers on the market and they all have different functions and special features. Before purchasing a printer, you should consider what each has to offer so that you can make an informed choice.

The following tips should help you choose the right printer that will meet all of your needs:

Business or Personal Printers: Printers can perform a variety of functions.  A business printer may require more functions than one you would use with a home computer. For instance, a business usually requires fast printing capability and higher resolution. A higher resolution is usually required if you are printing pictures, graphs, charts, etc. If you travel a lot, you should consider a portable printer.

Inkjet Printers: Inkjet printers are primarily used in homes and in small offices. These printers are cheaper, but they deliver quality performance and high-quality printing output.

Laser Printers: Laser printers, especially monochrome, are normally used in businesses. They deliver exceptional speed and high quality resolution. Businesses are able to print a large quantity of documents in a short period of time. Laser printers cost more but are worth it. Colored laser printers are a bit more expensive.

Multifunction or All-In-One Printers: A multifunction or all-in-one device is a combination of a printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine. Some users may find this more practical since they do not have to buy two or more separate devices.

Photo Perfect Printing Devices: These devices provide better quality photo printing.  Although the ink cartridges tend to be expensive, they deliver high quality pictures. For those who travel and use a laptop, the portable wireless printer is a good choice.

When shopping for a printer, you should consider quality, durability, and performance. Popular brands include HP, Epson, Kodak, Lexmark, and Cannon. Ask a salesperson about the specifications of each brand. If you intend to use the printer in a business, make sure that it will deliver the best performance, speed, and quality.

Before you purchase a printer, make sure that you do your research. Although there are cheap printers on the market, it will not be worth buying one if it does not deliver the service that you require. It may be more beneficial to buy a quality printer with better specifications. A printer is an important and essential addition to any computer. Whether it is for a business or personal use, knowing exactly what kind of printer you want will avoid future frustration.

The Problem with Generic Voice Mail Greetings

I don’t understand why some people seem to be too lazy to record a custom greeting that includes their name for their voice mail account.  Instead, they opt for the generic default greeting that consists of an anonymous voice stating the number that has been called and urging the caller to leave a message at the beep.

Yes, callers will know what number they dialed, but they might not be sure if it really belongs to the party they are trying to reach. Therefore, when someone leaves a message, they will have no idea whether the right person will get it.

That kind of thing certainly doesn’t give me much of a warm and fuzzy feeling – and it makes me less inclined to leave a message. I don’t want to leave a message that might be heard by someone I don’t know, especially if it’s of a personal and/or sensitive nature.

Bottom line, voice mail customers who don’t want callers to hesitate to leave messages should record custom greetings – in their own voice.

How to Avoid Paying for Internet Scams

First of all, let me say that it’s best to never fall victim to an Internet scam in the first place. In a perfect world, we never would. However, even the best of us get taken in once in a while. I’m specifically referring to the kinds of scams in which someone offers a product or service for sale on the Internet, gets your money, and then never delivers it. When you have been conned like this, what’s the best and easiest way to get your money back? You could take the perpetrator to court, but that’s a lot of hassle and most people -- myself included -- generally will not go that route.

Never use cash, a check, a debit card, or a bank account withdrawal to make an Internet-based purchase from someone with whom you are not familiar. If you do and then don’t get what you paid for, it is virtually impossible to recover your money without going to court. And even then, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be successful. In many cases, your money is likely gone.

Protect yourself by using a credit card instead. And it’s best done via a certified third party like Paypal, so the vendor never actually gets access to your credit card number. When you use a credit card to make a purchase, it is just a paper transaction until you pay for it. You are using the credit card company’s money, not yours, up front to make the purchase. You are not required to pay if the product or service you purchased is not provided or if it is substandard.

You can dispute the transaction by simply calling your credit card company and telling them you did not get what you bought. They will not require you to pay for the product or service while it is in dispute and will send you an affidavit to sign. Once you sign it and send it in, the burden of proof will be on the seller to prove that he or she provided the product or service as advertised. If they can’t, your credit card company will assume the role of recovering the money and you will never be required to pay for that purchase.

Now, there are some things to keep in mind during this process, as scammers are, by nature, opportunists and will use any mistake you make to their advantage. Obviously, they won’t want to give you a refund and will fight hard to avoid having to do so. They will point the finger of blame at you -- sometimes even accusing you of being the one who is dishonest -- whenever they get a chance. Just don’t give them that chance.

First, don’t be too quick to pull the trigger when the product or service is not immediately provided. Give the seller a chance to provide it – and possibly enough rope to hang themselves with. I generally give them about two weeks to either provide the product or begin delivering the service. If they haven’t by that time, they probably have no intention of doing so. However, if you dispute the transaction too quickly, the seller will merely claim they were going to make good on their obligation but you did not give them a chance.

Second, don’t wait too long to report the transaction. You must raise the flag within a reasonable amount of time. One just can’t wait for months and then suddenly dispute a transaction out of thin air. That kind of delay will cause the credit card company to call your motives into question. The seller will argue that you should have said something earlier if you didn’t get what you paid for or if you weren’t satisfied with it. And that’s an argument they will probably win.

Third, keep records of all correspondence with the seller. Preferably, do all correspondence via email so it can easily be recorded and saved for future reference. Before disputing a transaction, the credit card company will expect that you have already tried to contact the seller to communicate your dissatisfaction and/or request a refund. Along with the affidavit, you will be asked to provide documentation of such contacts. Most Internet scammers will give you the silent treatment (in lieu of the product or service you bought) once they have the payment in hand. That is, they’ll stop answering your phone calls, emails, and snail mail.

You just need some proof that you did in fact try to contact them. And you’ll need this documentation because you can bank on the fact that the perpetrator is going to lie when they are contacted by the credit card company. Scammers are basically thieves, and I have never met a thief who wasn’t also a liar. Yes, they will claim that they did actually send you the product, perform the service, contact you in a timely fashion, etc.  If have your ducks in a row, however, they won’t get away with it.

Fourth and finally, don’t tip the seller off that you are about take some kind of action or that force is coming. Don’t let them know when the long arm of the credit card company to is on its way to reach out and touch them. Don’t tell them stuff like “I’m going to get my money back one way or another” and you certainly don’t want to issue any threats, which could be used against you later.

Instead, play it meekly. Let them think you are helpless to get the transaction reversed, even though you are kindly requesting a refund. You don’t want to do anything that will allow them to start preparing their case before the hammer drops. At that point (to borrow a phrase from John McCain), the credit card company will pursue them to the gates of hell to get their money back. Besides not having to pay, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the scammers will be getting their just desserts.

Use This Tip to Avoid Sending Incomplete Emails

Have you ever accidentally sent an email while you were still in the middle of typing it? I used to do that all the time and it's quite embarrassing, to say the least. To prevent that from happening anymore, I now wait until I've finished typing an email before I type the addressee's email address. That way, if I accidentally hit the send button before I'm ready, the email won't go anywhere.

The Internet Is Great Because It Is Uncontrollable

The great thing about the Internet is the fact that no one can control it. Governments, corporate boardrooms, work places, colleges/schools, and churches are controlled by mucky-mucks, insiders, blue-bloods, and political manipulators. However, they cannot exert this same control over the internet. Perhaps that's why many of them are uncomfortable with it or even afraid of it.

Another Great Use for Search Engines

Search engines are great tools for checking the spellings of proper names. Let's say I wanted to post something about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I would have difficulty guessing the spelling of her first name, so I would type her name into a search engine the way I thought it might be spelled: "Condoleza Rice." The search engine would then prompt me by asking, "Did you mean: Condoleezza Rice?"

Most People Don't Need to Worry About the Digital Transition

Don't feel pressured to go out and buy a digital television set just because the broadcast switchover from analog to digital might be imminent. If you have cable or satellite service and don't care about high definition TV (HDTV), you can keep your analog TV set, as is, as long as you would like. Cable and satellite providers will automatically convert (non HDTV) digital signals into a format that your analog TV set can process.

Now, if you receive your TV signals over-the-air, then you'll have to get a digital TV or a converter for your analog set when the switchover occurs. Also, even if you have cable or satellite, you need a digital HD television or a converter for your analog TV to receive HDTV programming. Try tuning to an HDTV channel with an analog TV and all you'll see is a lot of jumbled pixilation.