25 Questions, 25 Answers

Over the past 25 years, readers have asked PC World thousands of questions about technology. Some--like "Why won't DOS recognize my dot-matrix printer?"--have lost a bit of their urgency. But even as the standards and specs change, the central questions of the tech savvy remain remarkably consistent: How do I get my devices to work together, how can I work more safely, and why is Windows so damned annoying?

How we come up with the answers, though, is changing. In the past, responses appeared in the form of personal messages from editors or in my column, Answer Line. But the Web lets us invite you into the conversation. We've put all 25 of these questions, with my answers, into PC World.com's community wiki. I've already received some great feedback from our community members. Want to join the discussion? You'll find documents dedicated to each question.

• Is There a Downside to Using Free Security Programs?
• How Can I Make Vista's UAC Less Annoying?
• Why Can't My XP PC See My Vista PC on the Network?
• Is TV Burn-In a Real Problem?
• Can Failing to Drain Batteries Completely Before Recharging Them Still Cause Problems?
• What's the Easiest Way to Back Up Data?
• Should I Scan From a Print or From the Negative?
• What Is the Best Way to Create Strong Passwords?
• How Can I Get My Wi-Fi Signal to the Far End of My House?
• Do I Need a 64-Bit PC--And If So, Why?
• Why Should I Buy a Desktop Instead of Laptop?
• How Can I Get My PC to Boot at a Scheduled Time?
• What Features Are Most Important in a Digital Camera?
• Why Is My E-Mail Landing in Friends' Spam Boxes?
• Is It Safe to Overclock My CPU?
• Should I Turn Off My PC at Night?
• Can I Boot From a USB Drive?
• What Are the Best Sites for DRM-Free Music?
• How Do I Automate Boilerplate Text in My E-Mail?
• How Long Can a PC Go Unprotected, and Yet Uninfected?
• When Will Moore's Law Run Out?
• Does Vista Have Any DOS 1.0 Code?
• Why Is Internet Access Slower in the U.S. Than in Other Developed Nations?
• What's Vista Doing With All That RAM?
• What's the Oldest Computer That Still Works?