HOWTO: Hyperlinks for Dummies

[Alec Rivers]

Having noticed that some members are unsure about how to create links, I thought I would create this:



If it helps just one person, I'm happy.


Edit - changed picture host.

[Derek Hazell]

You're a nice guy/lad/chap/boy/fella/gent/bloke/geezer/man, Alec.

[Karen Pearson]

What a nice guy. So, if you're offering free IT support, I'd hate to pass up the opportunity.....


.... my computer came with a trial version of CoralDraw (or something like that) on it. It has, needless to say, now expired as I use Photoshop. However, whenever someone emails me a photo the damn computer tries to open it in Coral which then says that my trial period has expired so I have to save the photo (most recently of a friend's not-that-attractive cat!) before I can open it in Photoshop. Do you know how I can stop it defaulting to Corel?

Maybe we could rename this link 'Ask Alec'!!

[Kai Laddiman]

Haha, you just looked at a thread for dummies, so you're a dummy.

[Alec Rivers]

Haha, you just looked at a thread for dummies, so you're a dummy.

And how did your comment get here? lol

[Alec Rivers]

You're a nice guy/lad/chap/boy/fella/gent/bloke/geezer/man, Alec.

Thanks, dude. I think 'bloke' more-or-less covers it.

[Alec Rivers]

What a nice guy. So, if you're offering free IT support, I'd hate to pass up the opportunity.....

.... whenever someone emails me a photo the damn computer tries to open it in Corel ... so I have to save the photo before I can open it in Photoshop. Do you know how I can stop it defaulting to Corel?

You can do this by changing the file association for each file type (e.g. jpg, gif, png, bmp).
Here's how you do it in Windoze XP:
1. Open explorer.
2. Find a file with your chosen extension (e.g. jpg). (If the extensions aren't visible, you can change that setting in Folder Options.)
3. Right-click on the file and select Properties.
4. Where it says 'Opens With', click 'Change'.
5. Select Photoshop from the list. (If it's not there, click 'Browse' and look in C:\Program Files\Adobe .. or whatever folder it's in.)
This will change the setting for all files of that type.

Maybe we could rename this link 'Ask Alec'!!

Maybe.

[Karen Pearson]

Wow! Thanks. I'll try that. Not now as I have been drinking but in the morning when I can concentrate properly! Let's hope I don't need 'Folder options' or you'll be getting another question!

[Alec Rivers]

Let's hope I don't need 'Folder options' or you'll be getting another question!

[Sue Sanders]

Dear Ask,

Sometimes, what I type....like this I'm typing now - doesn't actually appear on the screen for about 30 seconds. It's a bit like spirit writing...and very annoying. It can slow up any time of the day and it seems to be getting worse But it's not doing it right now.

Answer in one syllable words that rely in no way on me understanding computer jargon.

Ta.

[Alec Rivers]

Dear Ask,

Sometimes, what I type....like this I'm typing now - doesn't actually appear on the screen for about 30 seconds. It's a bit like spirit writing...and very annoying. It can slow up any time of the day and it seems to be getting worse But it's not doing it right now.

Answer in one syllable words that rely in no way on me understanding computer jargon.

Ta.

It's possible you have a keyboard logger, put there either by a suspicious partner or, more likely, by a rogue program that has found its way onto your computer.
Is your antivirus/firewall software up to date? If it is, then a logger is highly unlikely. It could instead just be a system problem, although I've never heard of it.
In the unlikely event that you have a logger, somebody somewhere could be receiving everything you type, including passwords and other private information.

If you would like more help, PM me and I'll give you instructions for how to provide me with info of processes running on your computer (as long as it's Windows).

[Matt Morrison]

Sometimes, what I type....like this I'm typing now - doesn't actually appear on the screen for about 30 seconds. It's a bit like spirit writing...and very annoying. It can slow up any time of the day and it seems to be getting worse But it's not doing it right now.

It's possible you have a keyboard logger, put there either by a suspicious partner or, more likely, by a rogue program that has found its way onto your computer.
In the unlikely event that you have a logger, somebody somewhere could be receiving everything you type, including passwords and other private information.

It's most likely to be a memory problem, Sue. Do you notice it does it more often when more programs are loaded or after you've been using the computer a while? Does it just do it in your browser or in other applications too? I've seen it happen on plenty of old PCs, usually in a browser with all sorts loaded.

Download, install, and run Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware - two free programs that will make sure you're not infected with anything nasty just in case.

[Derek Hazell]

Which is better? Matt Morrison's Computer Corner or Ask Alec?

Only one way to find out . . .


Tune into the new series of TV Burp this Saturday (or record it if you're at CoLei)

[Alec Rivers]

I'm not interested in having a competition. That's not why I posted this topic.

[Karen Pearson]

You can do this by changing the file association for each file type (e.g. jpg, gif, png, bmp).
Here's how you do it in Windoze XP:
1. Open explorer.
2. Find a file with your chosen extension (e.g. jpg). (If the extensions aren't visible, you can change that setting in Folder Options.)
3. Right-click on the file and select Properties.
4. Where it says 'Opens With', click 'Change'.
5. Select Photoshop from the list. (If it's not there, click 'Browse' and look in C:\Program Files\Adobe .. or whatever folder it's in.)
This will change the setting for all files of that type.

It worked!!! Brilliant! Thanks ever so much. It had been really irritating me!

[Charlie Reams]

It worked!!! Brilliant! Thanks ever so much. It had been really irritating me!

FFR this is also available as the first Google result for "how to change which program opens a file".

[Sue Sanders]

It's possible you have a keyboard logger, put there either by a suspicious partner or, more likely, by a rogue program that has found its way onto your computer.
In the unlikely event that you have a logger, somebody somewhere could be receiving everything you type, including passwords and other private information.

It's most likely to be a memory problem, Sue. Do you notice it does it more often when more programs are loaded or after you've been using the computer a while? Does it just do it in your browser or in other applications too? I've seen it happen on plenty of old PCs, usually in a browser with all sorts loaded.

Download, install, and run Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware - two free programs that will make sure you're not infected with anything nasty just in case.

Thanks boys. Firstly, no partner at all, let alone a suspicious one (I am working on that at the moment but men are such HARD work). I bought and installed Kaspersky about 6 months ago and I certainly know it's stopped me getting things that have infected friends' computers so I hate to think I've got an infection, as I hoped I was covered with Kaspersky. I do try to keep closing tabs I've finished with but tend to leave Facebook Scrabble open. My laptop is only about 15 months old but is on for about 18 hours a day and I suppose it is worse at night. It only happens on C4C but then, I don't use any other forums. You've got exclusive rights to me I'll download these things you recommend, Matt - ta.

[David Williams]

It worked!!! Brilliant! Thanks ever so much. It had been really irritating me!

FFR this is also available as the first Google result for "how to change which program opens a file".

There's money to be made out of something that translates your specific hard-to-describe not-sure-exactly-what-the-problem-is problem into a simple statement that works in Google. Also something that ignores all the other people asking the same question and goes to the person who actually knows the answer.

[Charlie Reams]

It worked!!! Brilliant! Thanks ever so much. It had been really irritating me!

FFR this is also available as the first Google result for "how to change which program opens a file".

There's money to be made out of something that translates your specific hard-to-describe not-sure-exactly-what-the-problem-is problem into a simple statement that works in Google. Also something that ignores all the other people asking the same question and goes to the person who actually knows the answer.

That was the first search I tried, and I fairly deliberately avoided asking in any technical terms (eg "how to change file associations"). I didn't even specify which operating system or version thereof I was referring to. To me it's hard to imagine a more obvious way of putting the question. There's a lot to be said for teaching people how to use a search engine and hence saving themselves vast amounts of time and probably money in the future, but it's really no dark art.

[David Williams]

To me it's hard to imagine a more obvious way of putting the question.

In this instance you're probably right, but it's all in the "To me". If something's obvious to me, I find it hard to understand why it isn't obvious to everyone else. And, incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

[Charlie Reams]

Incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

Are you kidding? This is absolutely wrong as anyone with the slightest clue about the Web would tell you. I'd suggest ignoring any future advice from your source.

[Matt Morrison]

Incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

Are you kidding? This is absolutely wrong as anyone with the slightest clue about the Web would tell you. I'd suggest ignoring any future advice from your source.

I admit, this sounded so silly that I decided not to bite. I'm ignoring all future requests for PC help unless they're in the correct thread

[Ian Fitzpatrick]

To me it's hard to imagine a more obvious way of putting the question.

In this instance you're probably right, but it's all in the "To me". If something's obvious to me, I find it hard to understand why it isn't obvious to everyone else. And, incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

I thought it was because I was a slow reader

[David Williams]

Incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

Are you kidding? This is absolutely wrong as anyone with the slightest clue about the Web would tell you. I'd suggest ignoring any future advice from your source.

I'm not kidding, in that I was told that by someone giving a free talk on how to set up a website, which I suspect was being paid for by someone that wanted me to upgrade to Windows 7. It was certainly news to me that my keyboard was connected to my hard drive through the internet.

[Charlie Reams]

Incidentally, there's a bit of a delay in these words appearing on the screen when I type. I've been assured it's because I have a lousy broadband connection.

Are you kidding? This is absolutely wrong as anyone with the slightest clue about the Web would tell you. I'd suggest ignoring any future advice from your source.

I'm not kidding, in that I was told that by someone giving a free talk on how to set up a website, which I suspect was being paid for by someone that wanted me to upgrade to Windows 7. It was certainly news to me that my keyboard was connected to my hard drive through the internet.

Not that your hard drive has anything to do with this either, of course. And it would be rather remarkable if your operating system could improve your broadband connection. Ah the sweet joy of a populace dependent on a technology they do not understand. No wonder it's so easy to make millions selling shoddy software products.

[David Williams]

Ah the sweet joy of a populace dependent on a technology they do not understand. No wonder it's so easy to make millions selling shoddy software products.

It's called specialization. Without it we'd still be living in caves.