First off, please let me apologize for the incorrect class date that was in last Sunday's column. I was not able to contact The Transcript in time to correct what turned out to be a second change of date for you to be involved in the free, one-night-only class I teach...

It started this week while I was working on one of my customer's computers, when she asked, "What do you think about those millions of credit cards being hacked at Target?" Not having watched the previous evening's news broadcasts, I had missed the story of one of the...

I received an unusual email today, one I was glad to see. The email's subject line said, "Holiday fraud alert." Usually, when I see "alert" messages in my Inbox, they turn out to be based on a hoax. These messages often start when somebody's Uncle Bob sees an...

I hate being the computer guy who has to tell someone that all their computer files, including the Excel spreadsheets of their family finances and the pictures of Grandma at Thanksgiving are gone. Poof, forever, vanished into thin air, all of them, and they are never...

The Hour of Code is coming. It cannot be stopped. Resistance is futile. You may even decide to happily become assimilated. On Saturday, December 14, at 10 a.m., the Norman Public Library Computer Training Center is hosting a session of the Hour of Code, part of a...

You may recall last week's column discussing the impending demise of Microsoft Windows XP and what that means to computer owners. Unfortunately, there is more to the story, including Microsoft also ending all "mainstream" support for its hugely-popular Office 2003...

If your computer uses Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, and you are not prepared, you may be in for a shock, come next spring. Next spring, on April 8, 2014, Microsoft will end all support for its still widely-used Windows XP operating system. That means no...

Computers, in all their forms, like laptops, tablets and smartphones, are big sellers during the Christmas shopping season and this year looks to be no exception. But, if you think retailers will be making huge profits off these sales, think again; the biggest profits...

Last week we looked at Steps 1-5 of how can normal computer users can protect themselves against Internet criminals who use online messaging systems, such as email. This week, we continue with Steps 5-7. 5) Having a good antivirus program installed and running is...

How can normal computer users protect themselves against Internet criminals who use online messaging systems, such as email? Is such a goal even attainable? Yes, with some effort and a little learning, online messaging security is possible. Perfect security and super...

My past two columns have dealt with the mechanics of electronic communications across the Internet, such as email. A basic understanding of how email really works, what usernames and passwords are good for and where your messages go before reaching their destination...

Last week we looked at what happens behind the scenes when you sign-in to an Internet-based account, whether email, banking, shopping, etc. To summarize, your username and password fly across the Internet in the blink of an eye, knock on the door of your provider and...

As much as they should know better, from time to time I still hear people say, "Why, I don't care if anyone sees what's on my computer; I don't keep anything important there, so, what do I care?" This reminds me of a fellow who once proudly declared to me, "I'm safe,...

Not long ago, I was surfing the website of a popular local publication, reading stories and other items that interested me, when a new page suddenly appeared with an official-looking notice that said, "Attention! It is recommended that you download Flash Player to...

I fix a lot of computers that have been filled with viruses, with the owners often clueless as to how they got in trouble, to begin with. A common thread I see running through most of these repairs is the failure of the owners to keep their computers updated....

I saw something very strange last week. My across-the-street neighbor walked out of his house, got in his car, started it up, and then went back inside. Maybe that would not seem strange in the winter season, as many people like to "warm up" their car before driving,...

Most of us are usually able to mindlessly click our way around the Internet without considering the potential hazards behind every click. That’s a good thing; if every click on the Internet meant a virus would infect your computer, nobody would ever go there. Odds are...

Email anti-spam filters are often pretty bad at protecting email users. They let bad email through and block good messages with such regularity that I don't really include them as part of my overall Internet safety strategy. The spam filters that come along with...

"You are sending me spam email," I recently wrote to one of my customers. Of course, he had no idea he had sent me an email promoting assorted "enhancement" products, but, nonetheless, that's what happened. He also had no idea he had sent the same email to everyone in...

“What happened to my computer? What made it stop working?” I hear this sort of question all the time. Sometimes, I have a logical, easy-to-understand answer. Other times, my answer sounds something like this: “I know it sounds crazy, but, sometimes, Microsoft Windows...