Rename Master- Great software for renaming large numbers of files at once or for adding or deleting portions of file names. Perfect for re-numbering a series of related files. Many naming variables are available. Also can rename files based on MP3, jpeg and exif file properties.Very useful.
No matter what you're buying, always check out non-profit Consumer Reports®, one of the most trusted sources of independent advice and ratings.
Anthony Giorgianni
Cool Ruler- Put any number of customized rulers on your desktop at will. Make them vertical or horizontal. Choose from inches, centimeters or pixels .Great for making Web pages and formatting documents in Microsoft Word and Publisher. (I'm using it now to line up these paragraphs!)
This page is just the beginning. During the next months, I'll be adding lots of tips, with whole pages devoted to computers and technology and car buying, leasing, repair and maintenance.
Try My Calculators
Excel users! Planning to finance a new car or house or to lease a new vehicle? Try my lease, loan and time and date calculators.
Car Lease Calculator
Loan Calculator
Buying or leasing a new or used vehicle?
Here are some Web sites that offer free or low-cost tips, reviews and wholesale and retail prices.
Giving to Charity?
Check out these excellent sources.
Federal Consumer Agencies
Click the logos to visit their Web sites
Consumer Product Safety Commission - For product recalls and safety investigations
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration -
For automotive recalls , safety investigations and technical service bulletins
Federal Trade Commission - For unfair advertising and other prohibited trade practices
Food and Drug Administration - For recalls and investigations involving food, medications and medical devices
Need to File A Complaint?
Try the agenices listed above or these local sources
In many states, the attorney general's office investigates consumer complaints. Surf on over to the National Association of Attoneys General to find your state AG.
The Better Business Bureau specializes in resolving consumer complaints. It's also a great place the check out a business' reputation. Find the local office here.
My Favorite Freebies...
Here are some of my favorite free Windows programs, free at least for home use. For commercial or non-profit use, please check the user agreements before downloading (please do not steal software!):
Tons of Free Software and Other Goodies
The Web has a dizzying selection of free, professional quality programs available for download. There are free firewalls, text and HTML editors, programs for artists, budding astronomers, musicians, cooks. Want to improve the look of your desktop or safely clean old entries from your computer's registry? Need an electronic photo album or a foreign currency converter that automatically tracks of the latest exchange rates? You just need to know where to look.
Visit for a list of a dozen sites offering free software, clips, fonts and other goodies.
These pages were designed and created by Anthony Giorgianni
Zone Alarm - A great firewall to protect your computer from malicious programs and hackers. Free for personal use.
Yankee Clipper III- One of many so-called clipboard stacking programs that allow you to copy and paste numerous clips at one time. This one also lets you save sets of permanent clips so you don't have to retype things you always need, such as your name and address.
Medved Quote Tracker- Don't even consider investing on your own without this superb program that gives you live stock quotes and continually updates your portfolio. Way too many features to list here. Ad supported.
Get help on line...
Are you having a problem with your computer, garden or car? One of the best, yet most under-used, sources of information and advice are the tens of thousands of newsgroups devoted to almost any subject .
On newsgroups, people ask and answer questions or simply discuss their interest in a topic.
So how do you get to newsgroups?
- First, check with your Internet service provider. Many provide thousands of groups and instructions on using them. On some services, such as AOL, you access newsgroups by going to a Web page. With others, you use your computer's news reading software, such as Outlook Express.
...
Has your question already been asked ?
Try searching newsgroup discussions back to 1995 right here:
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- Microsoft itself offers dozens of newsgroups devoted to its products and related computer issues. Many of these are monitored by Microsoft MVP's, certified volunteer experts who probably can answer your question in hours or even less. Configure your newsreader to access the Microsoft newsgroups directly using the server address: msnews.microsoft.com.
(If you are not sure how to do this, check your newsreader's help files or click here for instructions on setting up Outlook Express, the mail and news reading software that comes with Windows.)
Date and Time Calculator (New)
AVG AntiVirus- Free, full-featured anti-virus software. (No matter which anti-virus software you use, don't forget to update your virus definition files at least monthly.)
Tips & Links
AdS - Probably the world's most popular free image viewing software. Don't forget to download the file containing all the great plug-ins as well.
AdS - This program sits quietly waiting for unsolicited email advertising to arrive on your computer. When it does, the software places the spam in a separate folder from which you can delete it. Works great. A variety of plug-ins are available for this program. SpamPal works with standard POP3 email accounts (not AOL) and common email programs: Outlook, Outlook Express and Eudora.
AdS - (JUST ADDED) The best print screen program I've ever seen. Save screen shots to the clipboard, to files, to email, to a printer or to all of these. Also includes a screen magnifier. WOW!
AdS - (JUST ADDED) Wonderful free viewer for fonts on your computer. View one or more font at a time. You also can get full information about fonts, including who created them and owns the copyright. Great going Sue Fisher!
AdS - (JUST ADDED) Electronic Post-it® notes for your computer screen. Select color and font, trade them, use them as reminders by putting them to sleep until a certain date and time.. Very nice.
