Tech One Newsletter--June 2008

Hello again, everyone!  I apologize (AGAIN) for the long, long gap between newsletters--and once again I have no good excuse.  So I'm going to change the schedule of the newsletter from Monthly to Decennially.  That way, if I actually get a newsletter out more than once every ten years, I'll be ahead of schedule!  Brilliant!

Feel free to forward this on to some friends!  If you have an idea for a future newsletter, or if there's something you like or dislike, please let me know.  If you'd rather not receive the newsletter, that's fine; just tell me, and I'll remove you from the subscribers list.  If you're having trouble reading this in your e-mail, click here for the online edition.

New Name

You may have noticed the business name change--Solotechie Computer Services is now Tech One Computer Solutions.

All my old contact information will still work (email/website/phone); only the name has changed.

FREE STUFF! 

Thunderbird is a free open source POP and IMAP email client developed by Mozilla.org, the same folks who brought you the Firefox web browser. Feature-wise it sits somewhere between Outlook Express and Outlook which means that it offers an upgrade to Express users and a downgrade to those who use the more advanced information management features of Outlook.  Switching from Outlook Express is made easier by the fact that you can easily import Outlook Express's account settings, contacts, and stored email.

All Outlook Express users should seriously consider switching. You’ll be rewarded with a more advanced product including built- in spam filtering, built-in RSS reader,  message color coding, fast email search, anti-phishing measures, spell check as you type,  inbox filters, mail authentication, automatic updates and the ability to view your mail in conversational threads. On top of that, the product is more secure than OE and unlike the latter, is still being actively developed. 

Further features can be added through free extensions.  To add extensions in Thunderbird, go to Tools > Add-Ons, then click "Get Extensions" in the lower-right corner.  One great extension is "Lightning", which adds a calendar and task management features.

XP Home going bye-bye

The most useful and stable operating system Microsoft ever made will no longer be available soon--computer manufacturers will no longer be able to ship computers with XP Home after June 30.

NOTE: Most manufacturers have an ordering cut-off date for XP Home.  For Dell, that date is June 18.  After June 18, I will no longer be able to order computers with XP Home.

Many folks are perfectly happy with Vista, but I believe that XP is a better OS--it's more stable, faster, and easier to use. 

Again: Dell computers with Windows XP Home edition can only be ordered until June 18!


Annika Update

Updated pics are here. 

Annika Beth is quite an active little girl, known most for reaching the things we thought impossible for her to get her hands on, like bags of animal crackers 1 foot back from the edge of the counter.  Like a little raccoon, she can get into just about any food storage container and extract the contents at high speed, packing as much food into her mouth as she can before being caught.

Dial-Up Internet

The dial-up internet provider I recommend, GreatCove.net, is now owned by me.  Now, of course, I recommend it even more enthusiastically!

Nice, simple dial-up: $10/month.  No contracts or ads.  Call or email me if you have any questions, or want to sign up.

Just for Fun

I can browse this site for hours:
Cool Tools

Snow Art, by Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
Snow Art

A little out of date, but here's a site that will find your best place to live (US only):
Find Your Spot

Quote of the Month:

"A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing."


Thanks for reading!

--Jeff


Jeff Layton
Tech One Computer Solutions
Office: (717) 496-0030
Mobile: (717) 552-1022
E-mail: jeff@techonecs.com