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Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly
Issue #1079 Volume 21 Number 34 June 14, 2024 Dear Friends, NOTE: We're sorry. We're still experiencing a problem with Gmail not recognizing our newsletter server settings - hence the "warning" by Gmail. We can assure you that as always, our newsletters are safe. We are working on this issue with our hosting company, newsletter-sending server, and Google. We hope to have this issue resolved in time for next Friday's (June 21, 2024) issue. Thanks for your understanding and for your continued support. Welcome to Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly Issue #1079. Thank you very much for subscribing and for being a part of our Cloudeight family. We appreciate your friendship and support very much! Please share our newsletters and our website with your friends and family. If you're not getting our InfoAve Daily newsletter, you're missing out on a lot of good stuff! It's free and it only takes a few seconds to sign up. We'd love to have you with us. Visit this page to sign up for our Cloudeight InfoAve Daily Newsletter.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US! Thanks to your gifts, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, provide you with suggestions for safe, free software and websites, and help you get more out of your PC. Please Help us keep up the good fight with a small gift. Interested in making an automatic monthly gift? Visit this page. Help us keep helping you... and help us keep you safe on the Web.
Derek lost his image viewer and
all his photos Our answer Programs don't simply disappear but sometimes icons and shortcuts do. Did you try typing FASTSTONE in the taskbar search? I'm betting FastStone will show up. If it does not, it's freeware. You can reinstall it by visiting this page and downloading it. I hope this helps you, Derek.
Dave
doesn't think "Lifetime" licenses
are for a "Lifetime"
Our answer And, by now, most of us know, that newer versions are not always better so having a lifetime license to use a particular version program and lifetime updates are not the same. A lifetime license allows you to use the program - or a version of a program, for as long as you want (lifetime). It does not always mean you automatically get new versions when they're released or you will continue to receive updates for the program for a lifetime. And remember: Newer versions are not always better and not always necessary. Patricia lost her Windows password and needs help I read your instructions to Eileen on resetting her computer and keeping her files in your newsletter. I have the same problem today. I tried to accomplish it but my password for the listed account is not being accepted so I cannot get to the reset. I don’t know what to do, so I am contacting the people I trust. I want to purchase an annual senior computer care product for $99 because I am sure you have ways to get past the password problem... Thank you, Patricia.
Our answer However, if you are using a Microsoft account and you use your Gmail email account for that account you can reset your password. Here's how to reset your Microsoft Account Password if you used a Gmail address to set it up. Visit the Microsoft password reset page. Enter the Gmail address associated with your Microsoft account. Microsoft will then try to verify your identity by sending a recovery code to your alternate email address or phone number linked to the account. If you can access that email or phone number, you can use the code to reset your Microsoft account password. This also applies if you used a different email address when you set up your computer. The other option is to back up all your personal files (Documents / Pictures / Music / etc.) to an external drive and then use the Reset option to wipe out everything and start over. You can set up a new password and then import your files from the external drive to your new Windows installation. I hope this helps you, Patricia.
Elizabeth says
all her emails disappeared from her inbox I have every confidence that you can solve my problems. Our answer
See the screenshot below:
I hope this helps you, Elizabeth.
The Best Computer Care and Repair - Anywhere! We can fix your computer while you watch. You never have to leave your home. Just sit back, relax, and watch us work. Get PC service from folks you trust at the best prices you'll find anywhere. Get more information here.
Dennis uses Outlook
but can no longer send or
receive email
Thanks for all of your
advice and help. I have used
Outlook for years but I can
no longer reply or send
emails in Outlook. If I
install OE Classic, can I
delete Outlook and use the
same email address I used in
Outlook? This would make my
email life much easier. I am
using Windows 10 and
Microsoft Edge. Thanks for
all your good work.
Our answer
If you are sure that
you've set up Outlook
with the latest server
settings provided by
your ISP, and you cannot
send or receive in
Outlook, installing OE
Classic probably will
not make a difference.
The problem is, it seems
to me, not the email
program you use but the
email provider (RR.com)
you use.
You can install OE
Classic and use the
trial version but your
problems are (I'm pretty
sure) your provider's
fault. Darcy and I both
use Spectrum for
Internet service, but we
got rid of our RR.com
and Charter.net email
addresses long ago
because of problems with
reliability in
sending/receiving
emails. We have been
using Gmail for personal
and business emails for
over a decade.
If you want to try OE
Classic you can
download the trial
version free at www.oeclassic.com.
It won't cost anything
to try it, Dennis.
Nigel wants
to know if
we recommend
Aura
Hi to you both. Hoping you are both well. Thank you for all the help you have given me over the many years. I have a question. What is your opinion of using Aura as a safety app and if it is worth installing? Thank you, Nigel.
Our answer
Hi Nigel. Thanks so much. Using a service like Aura for identity theft protection is ultimately your decision. We've already reviewed LifeLock, and we don't recommend it. Aura falls into the same category. Like LifeLock, Aura doesn't prevent identity theft or scams. It's reactive, not proactive. Many services offered by Aura amd LifeLock are already offered free or charge through credit card companies and banks. For example, I have my cards set to send text messages for every charge. My checking and savings accounts notify me of any checks or payments made. This notification system is similar to what Aura offers, but with Aura, you grant access to a third party – and potentially even a fourth. Aura relies on third-party services like Plaid to connect with your bank accounts for transaction monitoring. This can be a concern because you're not just giving Aura access; you're also granting access to Plaid. Despite promises, no program, including Aura, can fully protect you from identity theft or being tricked into revealing personal information. These services simply react to transactions and notify you. Most banks, credit card companies, and debit card companies already offer this for free. The decision depends on whether your banks and credit card companies offer free transaction monitoring and if you're willing to set it up. Aura and similar services offer a paid solution with transaction monitoring, but they involve third-party access. Like LifeLock, Aura offers $1 million in identity theft protection. However, this is insurance, not a guarantee. It's financial reimbursement for covered losses. LifeLock has faced lawsuits for not fulfilling claims after identity theft. Only you can prevent identity theft. No service or software can do it for you. Reading stories of identity theft victims reveals that even million-dollar insurance policies and promises of help don't prevent it from happening. We wouldn't recommend Aura, LifeLock, or similar transaction-monitoring services if your banks and credit card companies offer it for free. Preventing identity theft is ultimately your responsibility. For more information on identity theft, see our article here. We hope this helps, Nigel.
Heinz wants to stop Adobe from
opening PDF files
Our answer
You need to set your
default PDF reader in
Windows 10 to Mozilla
Firefox (I do not
recommend the DuckDuckGo
browser to open PDF
files). Here are two
ways to set Firefox as
the default opener for
PDF files.
The first way...
Open the Settings app
(Windows key + i) and
click on "Apps" >
"Default apps".
Under "Choose default apps by type", scroll down and click on "PDF". In the right pane, you should see the current default program for opening PDFs. "Firefox" should be listed. Click on it to set it as the default.
Another way...
Locate a PDF file on
your computer.
Right-click on the PDF file. Select "Open with" from the context menu. Choose "Choose another app" from the list. This will open a window with a list of programs that can potentially open PDFs. Choose Firefox. Once you've chosen Firefox, check the box next to "Always use this app to open .pdf files". Click "OK" and from now on, whenever you open a PDF, it will launch in Firefox.
After Firefox is set as
the default app to open
PDF files, you can
uninstall Adobe from
Settings > Apps > Apps &
features.
We hope this helps you,
Heinz.
A customer testimonial from Marjorie...
"I just want to say that I love the Reg
Organizer I purchased. It has so many features to
help clean and organize my computer and does the job
quickly. It's a great piece of software and I'm glad
you recommended it! Marjorie."
The Power of Zoom: It's Easy
to Make Text Larger or
Smaller! We've featured this tip before, but we still receive several emails each week from people asking for help because the text in an email or web page has become too small to read comfortably and asking. “How can I make the text bigger?” Or, "My text is too big in (you name the program), how can I make it smaller?" So we thought this would be a good time to go over this again. While each browser and email program has its own “view” options, this tip will work on almost any browser or email program. So, it’s kind of like “one size fits all”, only this one-size-fits-all really does! To enlarge the text in your email reading pane or when using your Web browser, hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse wheel away until the text is as large as you want. You can also hold down the CTRL key and keep tapping the + (plus) key until the text is as big as you want it. This works when reading an email, as well as when composing an email. It also works on most web pages in most browsers. Hold down the CTRL key and move the mouse wheel toward you if you want to make the text smaller. Or hold down the CTRL key and keep tapping the – (minus/dash) key until the font is the size you want. As with making text larger, this works in most email programs when reading email and when composing email. It also works in most browsers on most web pages.
Above is the compose window in Thunderbird. The text is the normal size. But, my eyes are weary and I’m having trouble reading that, so a little CTRL Key + moving the scroll wheel away from me (toward the screen) and look!
No matter how blurry my eyes were or where my glasses were, I could still read that! And it works the same in the reading pane (window):
Above. I was feeling patriotic and decided to send myself the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. But when I received it, sans glasses, I couldn’t read it very well. But then, a little Ctrl Key magic and… look ma! No more squinting!
Now, look up there. See? Now I can see the double comma I didn’t realize was there. So if you’re having problems reading or writing an email because the text is too small and you want a quick way to make it bigger – you got it! Or if the text is too big, you know how to make it smaller. In most email programs the text will remain larger until you restart the programs. In most browsers, changing the text size as above only works for the current tab/page. Note: When composing an email, you can also make your font bigger (or smaller) in your email program’s options/settings. But be careful: If your recipient has normal vision your text may look HUGE to them if you change the font size in your email program. If you use the method above, the recipient will see the normal text size set in their email program, but you’ll see the text as big as you want. This tip works in any browser too! This works in any browser including Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and more. You can make page contents, including text, bigger or smaller using the Ctrl key and your mouse wheel. You can also use this tip to make your desktop icons bigger or smaller That’s right! You can use CTRL + mouse wheel to make your desktop icons larger or smaller. You can also use the same method to change the size of icons in File Explorer. Check out the screenshots below:
Above: Changing the size of icons in File Explorer. Below: Changing the size of icons on the Desktop.
Why You
Need More Than One Email Account And Why At Least One of Them Should Be a Webmail Account We have been fortunate to have worked with many people helping them with their computers – whether it be a quick checkup, optimization and cleanup, computer repairs, both simple and complex, or helping them remove malicious browser extensions and malware. Over the last few months, we’ve noticed that a substantial number of people still rely solely on the email account provided by their Internet Service Provider (ISP). Those of you who use email addresses that end in @att.net, @charter.net, @cox.net, @twc.com, @rr.com, @comcast.net, @bellsouth.net, etc. are using ISP email addresses. EVERYONE should have at least one alternate email address Email has become an essential part of our lives, and having a single email account is no longer enough. There are many reasons why everyone should have more than one email account, with one of them being a webmail account. A webmail account is an email account that you access through a web browser, such as Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook.com, et. al. Most webmail accounts are free. We’re here to tell you that having at least one webmail account is essential. One of the most significant advantages of a webmail account is that you can access it from any device with an internet connection. This means that you can check your emails on your desktop, all-in-one, laptop, smartphone, or tablet, making it easy to stay connected while on the go. Another reason why having a webmail account is important is that it offers more storage space. With a webmail account, you can store your emails in the cloud, freeing up space on your device. This can be especially helpful if you have multiple devices and want to access your emails from all of them. Webmail accounts come with more features than traditional email accounts. For example, Gmail provides superior and accurate spam filtering. You’ll find that most webmail providers offer features such as advanced spam filtering, automatic sorting, and integration with other applications, making it easier to manage your emails. Webmail allows you to control your email, rather than allowing your ISP to delete and censor email based on whatever criteria they decide to use to filter junk mail and to censor/delete mail based on rules only they know. Once an ISP decides to block or censor an email you lose control. With a webmail account, some emails may go into your spam folder, but you can move email from the spam folder to the inbox by marking it as “not spam” or “not junk” and you – not your ISP – control your email. Unlike ISP email services with arcane censorship and incomprehensible mail blocking, webmail does not block or delete emails based on arcane rules. And the most important reason is that webmail frees you from your ISP. If you’re using, let’s say, Comcast (Xfinity) all your mail depends on you using Comcast as your ISP. If you want to switch ISPs, you cannot take your Comcast (or other ISP) email address with you. But with a webmail account, you have access to your email and all you need is an internet connection; you’re not bound to your ISP with the “email tether”. And if you get a new computer and you have a webmail account, your email comes with you to your new computer, new smartphone, or new tablet. And even if you plan to stick with your ISP forever, having more than one email account is essential. And at least one of those should be a webmail account. Whether you choose Gmail, Outlook.com/Hotmail, or Yahoo for your free webmail account(s) is up to you. If you have just one ISP email account, we hope you’ll take our advice, sign up for a webmail account and start using it. Webmail accounts have many excellent features: They free you from your ISP. They allow you to get your email from any Windows device, Apple device, Android device, or Linux device including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. You can get a free Gmail account here.
A
Quick Way to Jump to the Oldest
Mail in a Gmail Folder We're going to show you a fast way to jump to the oldest emails in your list of emails in Gmail - no matter how many emails you have - with just one click. In your Gmail account, look for “1-50” right above the email list and hover over it until you see a dropdown menu. If you’re viewing your newest emails, you’ll see “Oldest” in the menu. Click “Oldest” to go to the “bottom” (oldest) of your list of emails.
When you’re viewing your oldest emails and want to jump back to the top and your newest emails, just hover over the email count and click “Newest”.
This method works in any folder (Inbox, Sent, All Mail, etc.) And it works no matter how many emails you have in a folder.
Want more tips, tricks, and information? We have thousands of Windows tips, tricks, and more on our InfoAve website.
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Take Control of Your Windows Text with Advanced System Font Changer Last week, in our InfoAve Weekly newsletter ( Issue #1078) we answered a question from Marie asking how to make the text on her Windows computer darker. And we told her that Windows has no settings to make system text darker and we knew of no program that did. Well, we were wrong. Thanks to Sharon N. we now know of a program that can make Windows system text darker (bolder), bigger, and easier to see. Thanks, Sharon! ASFC Makes Windows Easier on the Eyes Unlike the limited options in Windows Settings, Advanced System Font Changer (ASFC) lets you change the font size and style (bold, italic), for various UI elements. Do you want a bolder title bar or larger, bolder fonts for readability? ASFC makes it easy. If you struggle to read the default font size or if the font is too small and too light on your Windows 10 or 11 machine, Advanced System Font Changer can significantly improve your reading comfort and accessibility. You can easily adjust the system font size to the best level for your vision. No more squinting at tiny, faint, text. ASFC allows you to enlarge fonts across your entire interface, making everything from menus to messages clear and readable. While ASFC doesn’t directly change color contrast, it enables you to choose bold fonts, which can create a better contrast against various backgrounds. This significantly enhances readability for those with visual acuity issues. Advanced System Font Changer isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It offers individual control for different parts of your Windows interface. Tweak the font for menus, icons, tooltips, and more. You can make your system fonts bigger and bolder and customize them to make your Windows text easier to see. While ASFC is very easy to use, we urge you to read the instructions and notes on the program’s website to help you get a quicker start and learn how to reverse any unwanted changes you might make. ASFC allows you to create backups of your system font settings before making changes. If you experiment with a font that turns out barely readable, restore the backup and you’re back to the default Windows font settings. You don’t need to be a tech whiz to personalize text on Windows 10 or 11. ASFC makes it easy to navigate options and easily change the size of your system fonts and make them bolder. ASFC provides you with 4 preloaded text profiles that are ready to use – or you can create your own text profile..Above and below are two examples of Advanced System Font Changer’s pre-loaded Windows 10 and 11 text profiles you can use right out of the box.
For testing, I chose text profile number four – Arial 12pt Bold font. You can see the difference between the Windows 11 standard system font and the Arial 12p Bold text profile I chose.
Below: Font size and style changed to Arial 12pt Bold font in Windows 11 Task Manager on another Windows 11 machine.
If you have visual impairments and find the default Windows system text challenging to read, ASFC can be a game changer. It offers customization options, improved readability through increased size and better contrast using bold fonts, and works seamlessly with other accessibility features. Download ASFC today and take control of your Windows environment for a more comfortable and accessible computing experience. Even if you don’t have any problems with your vision, you can use ASFC to customize the text on your Windows 10 or 11 machine to make it more the way you want it. You can read more about Advanced System Font Changer (Freeware) and download it here. ASFC is clean freeware for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US! Thanks to your gifts, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, provide you with suggestions for safe, free software and websites, and help you get more out of your PC. Please Help us keep up the good fight with a small gift. Interested in making an automatic monthly gift? Visit this page.. Help us keep helping you... and help us keep you safe on the Web.
Instant Gratification Stole the
Milkman Read the rest of this essay here.
THE ONLY CLOUDEIGHT-ENDORSED EMAIL PROGRAM OE Classic is the only Cloudeight Endorsed Email Program - Very Similar to Windows Mail & Outlook Express!! If you're looking for an email program that feels familiar and works much like Windows Mail & Outlook Express, OE Classic might be exactly what you've been looking for!! What is doxing? Doxing is the act of publicly revealing someone's private information online, without their permission. This information could be things like their real name, home address, phone number, workplace, or even pictures they wouldn't want everyone to see. It's like putting someone's personal stuff on a giant billboard for the whole world to see.
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