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July 24, 2006
Question & Answer, Vol. 1
Sometimes my computer freezes and I can’t get it to shut down. How do I turn it off?
If your computer locks up try hitting Crtl+Alt+Delete on a PC (Command+Option+Esc on a Mac) at the same time to quit any programs that may have crashed your machine. Pressing these keys twice in a row will usually shutdown or restart your machine. If this does not work, press and hold the power button for about ten seconds (or until the machine shuts down, whichever is fist). While unplugging the machine will usually accomplish this same task, it is NOT recommended.
I’m going to purchase a new computer, should I get a laptop or desktop?
This, of course, depends on what you are going to do with the computer and depends upon each person. In general, for the same amount of money you can buy a better desktop than a laptop, so if power is your primary concern, buy a desktop. While laptops are much more portable, they usually have smaller keyboards and monitors, which may influence your decision, especially if you plan on typing quite a bit. You cannot beat the laptop for convenience, however. If you plan on traveling a lot or using your computer in many locations, a laptop is the obvious choice.
My wife buys a lot of things on the internet. Is it safe to use my credit card online?
When you enter any sensitive information online, whether it is your credit card or your social security number, look at the website address bar: does it start with https? The “s” means that the information (i.e. credit card) is passed securely between the computer and the website server. Most browsers will also display a locked icon as well as a different color in the address bar. When you see this, you can be assured that your credit card information is safe. If you do not see any of the above information, do NOT enter any sensitive information. It is still possible that your credit card number can be “stolen” depending upon the website, but if you are shopping at a reputeable source, this is not a concern. Most credit card companies also offer automatic protection from online credit card fraud. I have been purchasing items online for years and have yet to have any problems.
I’ve seen Smart Playlist in iTunes. What is that?
A smart playlist is one that is based on rules rather than songs in particular. For instance you can create a Smart Playlist that contains only songs you have rated three stars or higher and have not heard in the past 45 days. Or only Jazz music added to your collection in the past year. You can create a smart playlist by clicking on File, New Smart Playlist in iTunes. A window then appears asking you to specify the rules. You can even specify whether one or all of the rules apply and limit the number of songs to a specified number.
