TECHNOLOGY TIPS & TRICKS

Decipher Computer Terminology

Ever wonder about the meaning of all those error messages you get while accessing Web pages? Webopedia takes the mystery out of the messages in its Quick Reference section. You can also find out to which country a particular domain extension belongs or learn the function of TCP port numbers--and much else. Additionally, the site's general search engine pulls up definitions for any tech term.

Shop for a Web Host

Web hosting companies come and go daily. So how do you know your host will still be in business the next time a prospective employer tries to access your online resume? The Web Host Magazine and Buyer's Guide site reviews hosts in the free, budget, and premium categories, and includes tips to help you avoid getting ripped off.

Start a Discussion Mailing List

It really is a small world when you can bond with people on any continent. Yahoo Groups offers numerous groups for membership, or you can create your own and invite others to join. Read postings via individual e-mail messages or daily e-mail digests, or view them at the Yahoo site.

Take a Poll for Your Group Events

Evite, which has been around for a while, is still the easiest and cheapest way (it's free) to organize a social or club event and send out e-mail invitations. But it also lets you conduct an online poll. Group members can vote anonymously, and results are tallied and e-mailed to you after the closing date.

Update Your Drivers

Drivers are essential to the smooth operation of your PC and peripherals, but companies are updating them all the time, often rendering the new devices you purchase inoperable without the latest versions installed. Drivers Headquarters' $30 Driver Detective (see Consumer Watch, November 2002) inventories the drivers already installed on your machine and downloads updates when vendors make them available.

Search Google in a Flash

Download and install the Google Toolbar, and you can run searches through your Internet Explorer browser without going to the Google page first. The Google Toolbar not only lets you search the Web, but it also helps you search the page you're currently viewing, highlight and unhighlight your search terms on that page, or pull up Google's cached version of the current page. It even translates foreign-language pages.

Fight Viruses for Free

Symantec's free online virus-scanning service is no secret, but the number of people who still don't know about it surprises us. You should already have antivirus software installed on your PC; if you don't, you can scan your system from this site. The scan takes 10 to 20 minutes to uncover malicious code on your system, though it won't fix infected files.

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