Article Directory :: Authors :: H :: Chris Holgate Articles

Articles by Chris Holgate

• Bluetooth Technology
  There are some technologies that even when working in the computing field as I do that you sometimes have limited contact with and one such technology which has up until this point eluded me is Bluetooth. I understand that it is a wireless technology which links different devices together via a universal standard but knowing how something works and actually using it are two entirely different things.
  Published 07Apr2011, viewed 147 times

• DAB Digital Radio
  A few weeks back I looked at the advantages of Digital TV over conventional terrestrial TV and concluded for the small cost of upgrade that it was certainly worth the small investment of £50 or so in order to receive the new high quality digital stations.
  Published 07Apr2011, viewed 111 times

• eBay.co.uk
  One of my favourite sites on the Internet has to be the online auction page eBay. Over the past year I have seen not only myself but also my friends and family save hundreds of pounds by buying discounted new or used products online and then in turn selling bits and pieces that are no longer need for a reasonable price.
  Published 17Apr2011, viewed 224 times

• Manufacturer Updates
  This article highlights the issues when manufacturers issue updates.
  Published 25Mar2011, viewed 136 times

• Wikipedia Online
  The site in question is the comprehensive online encyclopaedia Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) which is a non profit site written primarily by reader input and funded by user donations.
  Published 24Mar2011, viewed 141 times

• Spybot Software
  Quite often the software contains questionable content such as pornographic links and it can be quite concerning if the computer is shared with other members of the family as there is often no way to delete the links that have been created. A piece of software that I've always found useful in all these instances is 'SpyBot Search & Destroy' which can be downloaded free of charge from http://security.kolla.de
  Published 24Mar2011, viewed 146 times

• PC Anywhere
  I have several PC's that I need to use in my office and at home but in order to minimise effort moving between them continuously I have been using a piece of software called PC Anywhere to manage these machines remotely if for example I need to retrieve an e-mail from one of them or access a program or an account which is on one machine but not the other.
  Published 20Mar2011, viewed 150 times

• ScreenSelect Movie Rentals
  I have been intrigued by the number of sites that have recently been sprouting up on the Internet that are running online video rental services and so have taken the liberty of signing up to several trials to try and establish whether signing up to such a service is worthwhile.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 127 times

• Cooking Guides
  A quick search on Google for recipe ideas returned the site www.epicurious.com which was packed to the brim with interesting food related resources and hence a perfect candidate for a website review in Click.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 129 times

• Weather Forecast Sites
  There are two sites that I looked at potentially reviewing this week; www.metoffice.com and www.weather.co.uk but after viewing both resources, my focus today is going to be towards the later site as personally I found the Met Office site a little lacklustre.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 119 times

• Microsoft Anti-Spyware
  As the resolve of Microsoft strengthens against the constant band of people taking advantage of security vulnerabilities in their most popular Operating System, we see an interesting new piece of software available to download from the Microsoft website designed to tackle Spyware.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 149 times

• Download.com
  www.download.com hosts many thousands of programs which are either completely free of charge or free to try for a certain period. Many of the programs online are extremely useful and can be downloaded without having to subscribe or to give any personal information whatsoever.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 126 times

• Firefox Internet Browser
  FireFox 1.0 is an alternative for Internet Explorer; a program Microsoft once relentlessly improved but now seems to have lost any interest in developing any further.
  Published 17Mar2011, viewed 123 times

• MSN Search
  Microsoft recently released their new search engine MSN Search which is perhaps just what the industry was looking for and whilst I support it as this search engine should provide serious competition to Google I am wary that Microsoft will use its old tricks by throwing unreasonable amounts of money at this product rather than allowing it to gain market share by relying on technical superiority.
  Published 09Mar2011, viewed 116 times

• Windows XP Powertoys
  The group of products known as 'Windows Powertoys' are not only still available but they have also recently been updated and so it seemed obvious that I should mention their existence in this article.
  Published 07Mar2011, viewed 120 times

• Windows XP Service Pack 2
  Service Pack 2 is a huge collection of bug fixes for the Windows XP Operating System which aims to increase stability, security and in some cases speed.
  Published 07Mar2011, viewed 130 times

• E-mail Etiquette
  E-mail like so many other things in life has an etiquette that should be adhered to. As a relatively literate member of society some of the e-mails I receive make me mad for no reason other than the fact that they are either ill thought or because it is just obvious that the author has taken no care whilst composing it.
  Published 07Mar2011, viewed 118 times

• Windows Power Options
  I should focus an article on the power options available in Windows as the most people won't get any further than using the 'shut down' option when they have finished using their machine and there are some potentially more useful options available to users of Windows 2000 & XP that may suit your needs better.
  Published 05Mar2011, viewed 123 times

• Clean Up Your Computer With CCleaner
  Microsoft Disk Cleanup suffers from the fact that it only removes the most obvious surplus files however CCleanup took a good look at my hard drive and immediately suggested over 250mb which could be immediately deleted.
  Published 05Mar2011, viewed 136 times

• Phishing - Don't Get Caught
  Last year the major financial institutions lost billions refunding customers who had suffered financial loss after being tricked into giving out their bank account details to online thieves by using a method known 'phishing'.
  Published 23Feb2011, viewed 103 times

• Organise Your Photos With Picasa.
  Sometimes a reader comes along and suggests a program so handy it makes me question my own knowledge of computers if I've never heard of it. Such an eventuality occurred this week when regular reader Ted Jones wrote in and suggested I take a look at yet another free program designed by the guys at Google which goes by the name of Picasa.
  Published 23Feb2011, viewed 114 times

• Distributed Computing Article
  Distributed computing has been around for very many years. Some of my more long term readers will remember that way back in 2002 I featured a program called SETI @ Home which was designed to use the power of thousands of home computers together in order to search for extra-terrestrial radio signals amongst the stars.
  Published 31Jan2011, viewed 121 times

• Transferring LP's To CD #2
  You may recall last week that I talked briefly about transferring LP's to CD's following a letter that I received from a gentleman who wanted to bring his LP collection into the 21st Century. This week a reader has chipped in with a helpful piece of advice for him and others that may be thinking of doing the same.
  Published 29Jan2011, viewed 103 times

• First Look - Office 2007
  Not a day goes by when I don't use Office 2003 for one reason or another and this morning I became curious as to when Microsoft would release an upgrade that would make my life easier. A quick search on the Internet revealed details of Office 2007 which is currently in second Beta edition and the finished version is due for release at the end of 2006.
  Published 22Jan2011, viewed 143 times

• DVD-R or DVD+R
  We still get people coming to our trade counter on a daily basis to pick up DVD media for their machines but when asked whether they are after DVD-R or DVD+R a puzzled expression shoots across their face. It was for this reason that I thought it would be nice to recap on the different types of disc that you can buy for your DVD writer and the differences between them.
  Published 21Jan2011, viewed 166 times

• New Firefox Version 1.5
  With a new version of Firefox recently released I thought it was well time that I recap on this fantastic browser as far too many people are still using what I would consider to be the inferior Microsoft designed Internet Explorer.
  Published 21Jan2011, viewed 151 times

• Clearing Spyware From Your PC.
  One topic that I get asked about more than any other is that of Spyware & Adware - Software installed without the knowledge of the user in order to track your computer usage habits or expose you to advertising. So here is how to get rid of it.
  Published 21Jan2011, viewed 138 times

• A Reader's Questions
  It's time once again for me to hand over to one of my regular readers who has a few handy nuggets of information he would like to pass along to us.
  Published 21Jan2011, viewed 125 times

• E-Mail Spoofing
  This week I'm going to reply to an e-mail I received from a reader this week which touches on a subject I've have had a fair amount of first hand experience with just recently.
  Published 19Jan2011, viewed 175 times

• Blogging Online
  One of the best (and some could argue worse) things about the Internet is that literally any user can have their say on absolutely anything they want. It has never been easier for the common man on the street to broadcast his viewpoint to such a large audience and one of the technologies helping with this is known as 'blogging'
  Published 17Jan2011, viewed 143 times

• EditPad Lite
  Just recently I discovered an application called 'EditPad Lite' which retains the simplicity that I love about notepad but also adds other helpful features that sometimes you just wish Microsoft had incorporated into their application from the start.
  Published 16Jan2011, viewed 125 times

• Fresh Software
  Several pieces of software came to my attention just recently; all four of them published by the practically unheard of 'Fresh Devices' company and available completely free of charge from www.freshdevices.com. I spent an hour this afternoon trying them out and thought they were worthy of inclusion in Click.
  Published 09Jan2011, viewed 117 times

• Internet Archive
  The Internet is an ever changing medium and this is of course one of the primary reasons for its huge popularity - Websites can be radically altered at the drop of a hat for a complete redesign or simply to include new or revised information. Whilst no one can argue that this is a predominantly good thing the fact that the old version of a website is quickly forgotten once updated is a cause for concern.
  Published 09Jan2011, viewed 122 times

• Kubuntu Operating System
  This week we'll take a look at a Linux Operating System which is designed to be installed either as a direct replacement or installed permanently alongside the Microsoft offering going by the name of Kubuntu.
  Published 09Jan2011, viewed 132 times

• RSS Feeds
  A technology known as RSS (Really Simple Syndication) makes it easy to have the latest news and features delivered directly to you rather than you having to go searching for them. By using an RSS reader or compatible browser you can easily get the latest headlines and articles from your favourite sites delivered to you automatically.
  Published 08Jan2011, viewed 110 times

• Selling On eBay
  Ebay is proving to be a massive hit with shoppers online but, as of yet, there doesn't seem to be information on selling on Ebay.
  Published 08Jan2011, viewed 148 times

• Compatible & Remanufactured Cartridges
  It seems that a lot of people are still not aware of the benefits of buying compatible or remanufactured cartridges over buying OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
  Published 08Jan2011, viewed 144 times

• Backing Up Movies
  Movies that you want to keep forever need to be backed up so they are never lost, here are some tips on how to do so.
  Published 08Jan2011, viewed 118 times

• Firefox Extensions
  Add-ons (otherwise known as extensions or plug-ins) aren't pieces of software in their own right but rather small bits of code designed to integrate with an existing application in order to extend its capabilities in one way or another. Firefox like many other browsers on the market encourage users to take advantage of this facility so that they can extend their browser in a way that suits them.
  Published 08Jan2011, viewed 167 times

• Speech Recognition Software
  Typing can sometimes be difficult for certain people, with this feature life can be made a lot simpler.
  Published 03Jan2011, viewed 153 times

• Sony Playstation 3
  As the Playstation 3 hasn't been released here yet, it's best to run through the specifications of the machine rather than what it's like in action.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 190 times

• Plasma vs. LCD
  Buying a new TV isn't as easy as it once was, there are so many options to choose from. Here is some help when choosing which one to buy.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 228 times

• Social Site with MySpace
  I have tried for some while to avoid setting up a Myspace account but the time has come for me to give in...
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 149 times

• Mozilla FireFox 2.0
  The ongoing browser war has been fired up again by the release of Firefox 2.0
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 134 times

• Free Software UltraVNC
  UltraVNC relies on the open source Virtual Network Computing (VNC) system. It is used to control many PC's all at once.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 151 times

• Contributions From Readers
  Every so often, I hear from readers who offer ideas on subjects for me to write about. Hear are a few of them.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 177 times

• Windows Vista
  Microsoft are releasing a new Operating System (OS) and I promised I'd review the new Windows Vista.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 125 times

• Free AVG 7.5
  AVG is a fantastic free piece of anti-virus software that matches up to the highest standards.
  Published 02Jan2011, viewed 176 times

• Recap On The Year Part One
  A quick recap on the technology released over the past year.
  Published 31Dec2010, viewed 187 times

• Rockstar Classics
  The three games I'm going to look at today can be downloaded for free from the website www.rockstargames.com/classics/ and are manufactured by the games producer Rockstar. This particular company made it big and hit all the headlines back in 1998 when they released game Grand Theft Auto and this is the first game I'm going to look at today.
  Published 31Dec2010, viewed 192 times

• Windows Vista Part II
  A popular operating system by Microsoft. Pros and cons explained.
  Published 31Dec2010, viewed 164 times

• Making The Most of Google
  This week I'm going to give you some tips on how to make the most of Google as a search engine.
  Published 30Dec2010, viewed 142 times

• Printer Page Yields
  When buying a new printer it is important to look at the cost of running the machine and knowing what the page yeild is of the cartridges.
  Published 25Dec2010, viewed 202 times

• Repetitive Strain Injury
  Repetitive Strain Injury is probably something that all people working in IT will suffer with at some point. Here are a few ways to prevent it.
  Published 24Dec2010, viewed 147 times

• Deepburner
  Deepburner is a free piece of DVD/CD burning software.
  Published 24Dec2010, viewed 143 times

• Desktop Publishing
  Desktop Publishing software is used to organise text and graphics to make them presentable for publication as a newspaper, magazine or simply for a school project.
  Published 23Dec2010, viewed 105 times

• Web OS
  I'm not sure I understand the point of web based Operating Systems but here is an article about them to keep the general public informed.
  Published 23Dec2010, viewed 125 times

• Firmware
  Firmware is a small piece of software developed by the manufacturers as they test new discs and improve the compatibility of their drives already on the market.
  Published 23Dec2010, viewed 117 times

• Windows Vista Part I
  Windows Vista is a popular Operating System and here are the pros and cons.
  Published 23Dec2010, viewed 122 times

• OpenOffice 2.2
  OpenOffice is a great free alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite.
  Published 23Dec2010, viewed 133 times

• The Commodore Legacy - Part I
  First section of an article on the Commodore company
  Published 08Dec2010, viewed 213 times

• Windows Gallery
  This particular website which has been set up by Microsoft contains literally hundreds of small pieces of software that can be used alongside a Vista installation, along with software compatible with previous versions of Windows through the Windows Live service.
  Published 08Dec2010, viewed 141 times

• Online Fraud
  Online fraud is becoming more and more of an issue and something needs to be done to stop it.
  Published 07Dec2010, viewed 133 times

• The Commodore Legacy - Part III
  The last two articles have talked about the Commodore legacy and how it was the end of an era when the company went bankrupt.
  Published 07Dec2010, viewed 137 times

• Google Checkout
  Introduction to the benefits of google checkout and its uses, including info on the introductory offer they are running in conjunction with numerous business
  Published 25Nov2010, viewed 190 times

• BlueJacking and BlueSnarfing
  Article on the dangers of a bluetooth device's vunerability to hacking
  Published 25Nov2010, viewed 463 times

• Energy Saving
  Brief introduction to how you can save money and energy around the home
  Published 25Nov2010, viewed 187 times

• HDTV
  Article on the High definition televisions and the digital switchover.
  Published 25Nov2010, viewed 168 times

• Keyboard Shortcuts
  Article on the joys of keyboard shortcuts and their uses.
  Published 21Nov2010, viewed 181 times

• USB Flash Drives
  Brief introduction to the pen drive and its uses.
  Published 21Nov2010, viewed 183 times

• Web 2.0
  Web 2.0 is a term used to describe a website that has increased the overall functionality of the Web; as such, the term can mean different things to different people. Broadly speaking a website that provides new and interactive technologies such as weblogs, social websites, podcasts, RSS feeds and online web services can fall under the Web 2.0 umbrella.
  Published 05Nov2010, viewed 127 times

• CyberBullying
  CyberBulling is a terrible thing but it is something that is difficult to control online. There will always be misusers of the Internet and controlling that is near impossible.
  Published 03Nov2010, viewed 182 times

• PC or Mac?
  Introduction to the differences between PC and Mac
  Published 14Nov2010, viewed 209 times

• Benchmarking software
  Whilst it is usually possible to get a rough idea of how well a computer will operate by simply looking at the system specification sheet, this doesn't always give a true reflection of the machines performance. For that reason, those that want to get an accurate idea of the speed of their computer will often run a piece of benchmarking software.
  Published 14Nov2010, viewed 192 times

• Last.fm
  Last FM is a fantastic new application that allows you to listen to a compilation of artists while staying in the same genre of music. It's great for inroducing new music that may well be your cup of tea.
  Published 27Oct2010, viewed 125 times

• Facebook vs. MySpace
  Since I wrote an article about MySpace last year people have been telling me to give Facebook a go but I hoped it was just a phase they were going through and that I would be fine keeping my social networking site membership to just the one; MySpace.
  Published 01Oct2010, viewed 366 times

• Computing Myths #2
  Last week I started a list of my most hated computing myths and began setting the record straight. Unfortunately there were simply too many of them to fit into a 600 word article so we're back again this week to hopefully complete the list.
  Published 15Sep2010, viewed 201 times

• On Podcasting
  Another common 21st century buzzword is 'podcast' which is a curious portmanteau of the words iPod and Broadcast; the iPod being, of course, a popular portable MP3 player developed by Apple.
  Published 03Sep2010, viewed 188 times

• New Year's Resolutions
  At the start of every new year, many of us like to make new year resolutions. This article talks about the ones that should be made in the computer world.
  Published 02Sep2010, viewed 221 times

• Rotten Tomatoes
  When deciding which film to watch, it is handy to have a resource that can tell you whether it is any good or not. A good resource that I use is a site called 'Rotten Tomatoes'. It really is a good one to look out for.
  Published 28Aug2010, viewed 177 times

• Mouse Gestures
  I'm all for anything that increases my efficiency when using a computer. When you spend eight hours a day using one, even the smallest time saving improvements made to a user interface can make a huge difference. A few months ago I talked about keyboard shortcuts which I have found useful for many years and this week I plan to introduce you to mouse gestures.
  Published 28Aug2010, viewed 247 times

• 64 Bit Computing
  There is a lot being said about Windows Vista at the moment along with the normal paranoia keeping users away that usually occurs when Microsoft release a new Operating System. I'm surprised by the number of people I know who have bought a new computer in the last couple of months and paid more to have Windows XP installed on it because of the horror stories they have heard, usually through a chain of half a dozen people.
  Published 27Aug2010, viewed 256 times

• Microsoft Natural Keyboard
  Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is one of those things that unless you have experienced for yourself is very easy to put down as being a pretty much fictitious condition; after all how much can you possibly strain yourself whilst being sat in front of a computer?
  Published 27Aug2010, viewed 159 times

• The Commodore Legacy - Part II
  We remember the good old days, well this article will carry on looking back to the Commodore era and the new technology it bought with it.
  Published 04Aug2010, viewed 207 times

• Launch Music Site
  One of the most fantastic websites that I've discovered this month would have to be one called 'Launch' which has been bought to us by Yahoo - seemingly, out of nowhere came this excellent Internet site which allows you to pick from hundreds of music videos, MP3's and artist interviews all completely free of charge and for a change this is available completely legally.
  Published 19Aug2010, viewed 203 times

• Paint.NET - Free Download
  This week I stumbled across another very capable application called Paint.NET which once again is free to download and use.
  Published 19Aug2010, viewed 198 times

• FoxIt PDF Reader
  At some point in our computing lives we will almost certainly stumble across a PDF (Portable Document File). These are extremely useful for transmitting a document, including any associated diagrams or pictures, in one single file which should look identical to the original on any compatible computer or mobile device.
  Published 20Jul2010, viewed 206 times

• The Pitfalls of Refilling
  We have recently started offering a refilling service and as such my knowledge of this particular area has increased exponentially over the last couple of months making it the ideal focus of my article today.
  Published 29Jul2010, viewed 174 times

• Browser Wars #1
  This article talks about Microsoft and how it took over the browser world in the mid to late 1990's. It was quite controversial at the time and there has been many debates and court cases since.
  Published 13Jul2010, viewed 194 times

• Browser Wars #2
  There are many good browsers out there and this article discusses what they are all doing to try and be the best.
  Published 13Jul2010, viewed 202 times

• Silver Surfers
  One of the Switch guys from above Refresh was today talking about Christmas and how his 96 year old grandma who lives in Canada extended her wishes on the day via webcam. Hearing James talk about this made me wonder what kind of difference the Internet can make in the life of someone who would be considered to be of the 'older generation'.
  Published 28Jul2010, viewed 149 times

• Advanced WindowsCare
  Being a guy who used to make a living from repairing computers, you might understand that I'm slightly cynical about the prospect of people repairing their own machines when things go wrong; if anything serious should happen then you're certainly best off calling a professional. In my experience, a little knowledge in the wrong hands can be deadly and often attempting to repair your Operating System yourself will end in tears!
  Published 25Jul2010, viewed 338 times

• Winbubbles - Free Download
  With so many readers now using Windows Vista I thought it was about time that I focused on a fantastic little program that I've had on my hard drive for several months now called 'Winbubbles'. This application is designed to help you quickly and easily customize your Vista installation by way of a small 350kb freeware download.
  Published 25Jul2010, viewed 301 times

• Joost - TV Online
  This week a conversation down the pub got me thinking about the future of conventional film and television.
  Published 22Jul2010, viewed 295 times

• Google Earth
  Several years ago I looked at an application called Google Earth, a program which allows you to view literally any corner of this Earth from satellite imagery without even leaving your desktop. This is genuinely one of the most interesting applications that you will ever use and bizarrely, it is completely free of charge.
  Published 21Jul2010, viewed 254 times

• CD and DVD Formats
  On a daily basis I'm still asked about the different forms of blank disc available on the market and the differences between them.
  Published 06Jul2010, viewed 182 times

• Online Fraud
  Online fraud is fast becoming a huge widespread problem, a problem that almost seems to be being ignored by the police and banking institutions. This article explains how it is affecting business owners.
  Published 05Jul2010, viewed 158 times

• CD and DVD Printing
  Last week we looked at the different technologies available when recording data on to removable media such as a writable DVD and I briefly touched on the subject of printing on to the top surface of the disc. Whilst many use a simple glass marker pen, there are of course several other options available should you want give your discs a more professional looking finish.
  Published 02Jul2010, viewed 163 times

• Project Gutenberg
  I was recently introduced to the website Project Gutenberg (www.projectgutenburg.org) which rather impressively holds the title for being the oldest digital library.
  Published 02Jul2010, viewed 187 times

• Vista Service Pack I
  This week Microsoft made the eagerly awaiting Windows Vista Service Pack 1 available for general download. Service Packs are important milestones in the development of an Operating System as they bring together a collection of bug fixes, performance improvements, security updates and new product features.
  Published 01Jul2010, viewed 203 times

• Recycling Computer Equipment
  Considering the majority of IT equipment is practically non biodegradable and can contain substances that are potentially harmful, there is scarce information available to local residents about how to go about effectively recycling their old computers.
  Published 30Jun2010, viewed 304 times

• MacBook Air
  We've established in previous articles that whilst I like the design and unique features of many Apple products my opinion of replacing all the PC's in my life with Apple Macs isn't a thought that I relish. That having been said, it would seem almost rude not to take a look at the Apple MacBook air which was released just a couple of months ago.
  Published 28Jun2010, viewed 232 times

• Vimeo - Videos Online
  This week, regular reader Ian McMillan wrote to me noting a website which until now I haven't mentioned. I have printed his letter below as I thought it would be of interest to anyone who regularly uses video sharing websites such as YouTube.
  Published 25Jun2010, viewed 274 times

• Online Fraud #2
  Online fraud is a serious matter and it doesn't seem to be taken seriously by the police. This article talks a little more about this type of fraud and offers peoples opinions of it.
  Published 23Jun2010, viewed 157 times

• Wii Fit
  With all the talk of video games corrupting the minds and bodies of youngsters it's nice to see Nintendo taking a completely different direction to video gaming in the form of their 'Wii' console which I previewed last year just before it was released in the UK.
  Published 23Jun2010, viewed 173 times

• Technology Flops
  I'm not sure if it's possible to feel sorry for a format, but if it is then I think I might actually feel sorry for the HD DVD standard; after living such a short life it has been consigned to the history books having been trounced by the technically superior BluRay format.
  Published 22Jun2010, viewed 142 times

• Technology Flops #2
  Last week I started looking at some technologies which, after having started life with such a potentially promising future, were quickly consigned to the history books. Today we will continue on this theme.
  Published 21Jun2010, viewed 162 times

• True Crypt
  Something that I haven't given a huge amount of thought to in the past is the subject of encryption. This was until the subject was bought up today by a customer of mine who was considering the purchase of a USB Flash Drive but explained it was to replace one that he had mislaid which unfortunately contained a number of confidential files.
  Published 18Jun2010, viewed 196 times

• Home Design CAD
  I must be one of the only mugs buying a house at the moment; this is at a time where the majority of other prospective buyers are running for the hills due to the current economic climate. Anyway, my foolhardy attitude aside, I am now faced with the task of becoming an interior designer and rather predictably felt that we had to get a computer involved somewhere along the way.
  Published 18Jun2010, viewed 208 times

• New AVG 8.0
  I always know when AVG release a new version of their fantastic free anti-virus software as it usually results in a torrent of abuse being launched towards me by my readership - "you said this software was free and now it's asking me for money or it'll stop working."
  Published 18Jun2010, viewed 189 times

• Smaller Alternatives
  This artcile talks about smaller alternatives to larger applications that are available. It explains why it is often better to have a smaller alternative.
  Published 18Jun2010, viewed 198 times

• Microsoft SkyDrive
  Transferring information between computers is easier now than it ever has been. I remember back in the days of my Commodore 64 when it was near impossible to exchange information between different machines unless they were of exactly the same manufacturer and model and had compatible peripherals.
  Published 17Jun2010, viewed 304 times

• Readers Questions/Suggestions
  Once again, it's time for me to publish a few of the e-mails that have arrived in my inbox this week.
  Published 17Jun2010, viewed 239 times

• Accounting Software
  I've never touched a piece of accounting software for more than two minutes without running a mile.
  Published 16Jun2010, viewed 255 times

• Firefox 3
  This article talks about the best features that come with this version of Firefox. It talks about how to navigate the very popular Internet browser.
  Published 16Jun2010, viewed 177 times

• Essential PIM
  Sometimes I miss not seeing what I would call the stereotypical 80's businessman; I was a little too young to take note at the time but when I look back I always envisage a man with a long black ponytail, dressed in an expensive suit and carrying a briefcase. This briefcase would surely contain a Filofax, the size of which would be directly correlated to how important you wanted to be considered by those around you.
  Published 15Jun2010, viewed 189 times

• Windows Movie Maker
  Windows Movie Maker has been bundled with Windows ever since the dreadful Windows ME (Millennium Edition), and whilst the earlier versions suffered from a woefully inadequate feature set, the later editions have actually been pretty good.
  Published 15Jun2010, viewed 183 times

• Disk Defragmentation - Advantage of Regular Defragging
  One of the easiest ways to speed up your computer is to defrag the hardrive every now and then. This article explains how to do so.
  Published 15Jun2010, viewed 312 times

• CD Burner XP
  We often receive blank DVD discs back that have been marked as being faulty due to the fact the customers machine refuses to write to them. After a little cross examination we almost always arrive at the same conclusion; the machine doesn't actually have any software installed which would allow it to write to DVD hence the difficulties the customer is facing.
  Published 12Jun2010, viewed 180 times

• Google PageRank
  There are millions of websites out there and we have to find some sort of way to organize them. Google uses its PageRank system to do so and this article explains how it works.
  Published 10Jun2010, viewed 153 times

• Data Formats
  Whilst arranging my old belongings in preparation for moving home I came across an old computer cassette that I created years ago for a covertape which was to be given away with a fanzine I used to edit when I was younger.
  Published 09Jun2010, viewed 197 times

• Google Buzz - Social Networking by Google
  Google Buzz is an extension of the Google Mail service offered by Google which the Internet giants hope will lure users away from alternative services such as Facebook.
  Published 09Jun2010, viewed 411 times

• Undelete Plus
  Although I have covered this subject before in the past, I am still getting a large number of people regularly e-mailing me asking how they can undelete a specific file so thought it might be time for a quick recap.
  Published 09Jun2010, viewed 170 times

• Social Networking with Twitter
  The social networking world has been taken by storm when Twitter came on to the scene. This article explains all...
  Published 07Jun2010, viewed 153 times

• The Googleplex
  I like to think that working at Refresh can be an enjoyable experience however after reading through an article featuring the Google campus at work this morning; I feel our employee benefits package may be woefully inadequate.
  Published 26May2010, viewed 163 times

• Money Saving
  I hate the phrase 'credit crunch' and actually take offense whenever anyone around me uses it. As a society we appear to be able to talk the country in to and out of financial difficulty particularly easily and without fail, whenever we hear a little bit of bad news the entire nation takes steps to make it rapidly worse.
  Published 29May2010, viewed 172 times

• Resisting an iPhone
  Whilst I dedicated an article to the iPhone when it was first announced I haven't touched on the subject since. This was until my Sony handset broke a few weeks back and for what seems like an eternity whilst I wait for it to be repaired, I've been left using a four year old girly pink clamshell Samsung phone borrowed off my girlfriends sister.
  Published 25May2010, viewed 214 times

• Wireless Security
  It's surprising to find out how many people don't have any security on their Internet connection at home. Find out how to protect yourself and to stop other people using your wireless connection.
  Published 25May2010, viewed 202 times

• Mahalo - The Other Search Engine
  The relatively new search engine Mahalo (Hawaiian for 'Thank-You') puts a spin on proceedings by pitching itself as a human powered search engine.
  Published 25May2010, viewed 196 times

• Microsoft Photosynth
  An exciting new piece of software from Microsoft that creates a kind of 3D image of an environment when it is given different photos to play with.
  Published 25May2010, viewed 162 times

• Google Chrome
  This is the first Internet browser to be created by Google. this is quite surprising considering their success in the search engine world.
  Published 25May2010, viewed 157 times

• Wireless Security #2
  Last week we spoke about the need for Wireless Network security and we follow on this week by covering the different standards available.
  Published 24May2010, viewed 244 times

• Viruses #2
  I have talked about viruses in the past but I felt that this virus deserved to have a whole article dedicated to it. It really is a powerful one, read this article to find out more.
  Published 21May2010, viewed 165 times

• Viruses #1
  Anti-Virus software gets a great deal of coverage in Click because ultimately it's a very important component of any computer system and choosing the right program to protect your computer should be carefully considered. Whilst most understand its importance, not many understand the actual effects that a virus can have on your system.
  Published 19May2010, viewed 179 times

• OpenOffice 3.0
  OpenOffice is essentialy a free version of Microsoft Office. You can create text files, spreadsheets and graphics, all free of charge.
  Published 18May2010, viewed 172 times

• Blogging Advice
  You can use free blogging software to create a website, this article explains how to do so and where to find the software.
  Published 14May2010, viewed 247 times

• Recipe Database
  In my opinion, the best place to find cooking recipes is now online. This week I will talk about where to find the best recipes online.
  Published 13May2010, viewed 256 times

• Virtual Network Connections
  A useful piece of software for most people who use more than one PC on a regular basis is a remote VNC (Virtual Network Connection) application which allows them access to one machine while using another. Personally I use such a piece of software so that if I'm working from home in the evening then if necessary I can access any files or other information from my office computer.
  Published 13May2010, viewed 166 times

• Doom Revisited
  Released back in 1993, Doom has been recognised as a pioneer in several areas of gaming including 3D graphics, network gaming and custom expansion.
  Published 12May2010, viewed 419 times

• Secunia PSI
  News was released this week regarding a potentially serious flaw present in Internet Explorer which potentially allows a hacker to gain control of a computer that has visited a website infected with malicious code. The scary thing about this particular bug is that the user doesn't need to download or click anything to become infected as simply visiting an infected website is sufficient.
  Published 12May2010, viewed 176 times

• Flightgear - Flight Sim
  Flightgear (www.flightgear.org) is an Open Source Flight Simulator which was first released back in July of 1997. It is the combination of work from hundreds of talented programmers from around the world who don't get paid, nor do they receive any real credit for the work they do but still choose to participate. The result is a very capable flight simulator that anyone can download and enjoy completely free of charge.
  Published 12May2010, viewed 207 times

• Stuck Pixels
  One of the most annoying problems that you can encounter whilst using a computer is a stuck or dead pixel on your monitor. In the case of the former you will be left with one pixel of your screen being a completely different colour and if you suffer from the latter the pixel will be always off, hence appearing black.
  Published 12May2010, viewed 220 times

• Intel Atom
  Intel Atom is a processor that has not been covered in one of my articles yet, I thought it was about time it was.
  Published 11May2010, viewed 182 times

• Windows 7
  The new Operating system from Windows is due for release next year. This article will discuss the pros and cons of the new Windows 7.
  Published 11May2010, viewed 154 times

• Connecting your Computer to a TV #1
  This article explains how to connect your computer to your television so you can watch films that you have downloaded or play games from the PC on a much larger screen.
  Published 10May2010, viewed 155 times

• Microsoft Simple Basic
  This article takes you back in time to the era of the Commodore where computing was so simple that even those that had never used one before could pick it up relatively quickly. Microsoft Simple Basic is a free applications that allows you to do some basic programming.
  Published 10May2010, viewed 311 times

• Connecting your Computer to a TV #2
  Connecting a computer to your TV is an extremely simple process, it is therefore surprising that so few people have taken the plunge. The most obvious use in my mind would be if you downloaded a film off of the Internet then rather than having to burn it to disc to play in your DVD player, you could play it directly from the computer however.
  Published 10May2010, viewed 214 times

• Useless Bundled Software
  Bundling software has become big business for the computer manufacturers as they are paid by the software developers themselves for every copy they distribute so below I have made a handy list of items that you should remove immediately.
  Published 07May2010, viewed 331 times

• Bundled Software #2
  I was setting up a new laptop this week and, half way through, got thinking to myself what a peculiar state of affairs we have got ourselves in to. The machine was set up and ready to use straight out the box but then I was required to spend half an hour removing all the crummy software that had been loaded by the manufacturer.
  Published 06May2010, viewed 204 times

• Solid State Drives (SSDs)
  Will Solid State Drives (SSDs) make it into the industry? This article lists the pros and cons of this technology compared to the humble hardrive.
  Published 05May2010, viewed 173 times

• Google Docs
  Google Docs has been around for some time now but until recently I'd never managed to find a use for it in my life and my lack of experience with the service means I've not felt confident enough to recommend it to readers.
  Published 05May2010, viewed 195 times

• Google Street View
  I'm not sure what it is that they put in the water over at Google HQ but whatever it is, I want some. Such a large percentage of my articles have been devoted to the material that Google relentlessly produces that, without them, I genuinely doubt I would have found sufficient interesting content to keep this article going over the last eight years. To top it all they go and release "Google Street View".
  Published 05May2010, viewed 167 times

• Flickr- A Great Way to Share Photos
  A great, free site that allows users to share photos comes with Flickr. This article gives users an insight into the site and how to use it.
  Published 05May2010, viewed 190 times

• The Pirate Bay
  The Pirate Bay was established in 2003 by the Swedish anti-copyright organization Piratbyrån (The Piracy Bureau) and has been acting as a separate organisation since October 2004. In total the site has 3,500,000 registered users and its purpose is to allow users to easily locate torrent files which are used by peer to peer file sharing programs to locate and download a whole host of information.
  Published 04May2010, viewed 172 times

• Operating System History
  I think the mark of a true geek is someone who can actually partake in a meaningful conversation relating to a technology which was pioneered half a decade before they were even born. This realisation comes after yours truly found himself today discussing the old CP/M Operating System with our web guy and the PC techie.
  Published 04May2010, viewed 283 times

• YouTube and the PRS
  YouTube has always been one of my favourite sites on the Internet and so I'm extremely disappointed that a row between the site owners, Google, and the Performing Rights Society has culminated in them prohibiting UK users access to thousands of music videos.
  Published 30Apr2010, viewed 210 times

• Gaming on Steam
  Steam is a multiplayer, games distribution and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation (famous for games such as Half Life and Day of Defeat) which has been designed to distribute a wide range of games and related media entirely over the Internet. At present there are 667 games available on Steam and over 20 million user accounts.
  Published 30Apr2010, viewed 170 times

• EASUS Partition Master - Home Edition 3.5
  This article will help you utilise wasted space on your hardrive. You can partition your hardrive into different sections to make it more usable for you personally.
  Published 27Apr2010, viewed 224 times

• Spotify- Bringing You Free Music
  This article talks about the wonders of Spotify and how it is changing the way we listen to music on a daily basis.
  Published 26Apr2010, viewed 323 times

• BluRay, AACS and HDCP
  This article explains how to get around the Digital Rights Management software built into a BluRay disc. This can stop you from being able to watch a BluRay film that was bought legitimately from a shop.
  Published 26Apr2010, viewed 233 times

• AVG Internet Security 8.5
  Regular readers will no doubt be aware of the fact that I recommend AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition over popular paid for rivals time and time again. Ignoring the obvious "there's no such thing as a free lunch" scepticism that I usually encounter whenever I mention this application I'm usually also asked about the features absent; most notably a firewall.
  Published 26Apr2010, viewed 235 times

• Vista SP2 and Cheap Broadband
  cheap broadband options plus a new service pack for vista
  Published 24Apr2010, viewed 162 times

• Hard Drive Enclosures
  A brief article giving advice on purchasing external Hard Drive Enclosures.
  Published 22Apr2010, viewed 218 times

• Living with Windows 7
  I've been living with the release candidate of Windows 7 now for a couple of weeks now at home. To be honest, I'm so impressed that it's got to the stage that going to work and having to use Windows Vista again has become a chore.
  Published 22Apr2010, viewed 173 times

• Image Resolution FAQ
  This article answers day to day questions about image resolution, how it is measured and how resolution affects file size.
  Published 21Apr2010, viewed 192 times

• Technology Failures
  The world of technology is full of bright new ideas that promise to change the way we live; however, for every success there are numerous failures. Some technologies genuinely surprise us when they fall by the wayside, but others we realise were doomed to failure from the very beginning.
  Published 21Apr2010, viewed 234 times

• Google Chrome OS
  Initially targeted at Netbooks (incredibly small laptops with relatively low specifications), Google Chrome OS will be a lightweight, open source alternative to Windows. It will be designed primarily for online use, with the entire OS essentially consisting of the Google Chrome browser running on a Linux backend.
  Published 21Apr2010, viewed 190 times

• Slow Broadband
  It would seem that in the current day many users still aren't achieving anywhere near the maximum speeds promised by their ISPs.
  Published 20Apr2010, viewed 185 times

• Superfast Broadband
  There is a new breed of superfast broadband approaching which will be welcome news to the majority of the British public that are currently stuck with a maximum top speed of 8Mbps.
  Published 20Apr2010, viewed 176 times

• Apple Mac OS X 'Snow Leopard'
  This autumn could provide an interesting shake up of the Apple vs. PC debate which has been raging for decades as both Microsoft and Apple unleash their new Operating Systems in to the world.
  Published 17Apr2010, viewed 522 times

• BT iPlate
  How to increase your broadband speed at minimal cost.
  Published 17Apr2010, viewed 210 times

• Online Ticket Scams
  A quick article detailing how to avoid being caught out by scamming websites who offer cheap tickets
  Published 17Apr2010, viewed 189 times

• 802.11n Wireless Networking
  It's been years in development but from September 2009 it looks like 802.11n Wi-Fi will finally become a standard... well, an official standard anyway.
  Published 14Apr2010, viewed 161 times

• The iPod Effect
  In a time when everybody suddenly seems to be looking to Apple for the next exciting piece of new technology, I'm forced to look back and wonder when everything all of a sudden started to go 'right' for them.
  Published 13Apr2010, viewed 272 times

• ISO Format
  One of the most common file types used in the distribution of software over the Internet is the .ISO format; these single files contain within them an exact copy of an entire CD or DVD disc. They are ideal because rather than having dozens, hundreds or even of thousands of files to transport you only have one.
  Published 13Apr2010, viewed 166 times

• Kongregate
  Kongregate has been pitched by many as "YouTube for video games" It features many games that are free to play and more and more are being added daily.
  Published 12Apr2010, viewed 207 times

• dBan
  Recovering sensitive data from your hardrive before disposing of it is very important. This article is about finding a good way to do just that safely and securely.
  Published 12Apr2010, viewed 281 times

• Paint.Net v3.5
  For day to day photo editing needs, you can't get much better than Paint.Net v3.5. It's a happy medium for the average home user and this article tells you all about it.
  Published 12Apr2010, viewed 172 times

• WordPress 2.8.5 - Part 2
  WordPress is an open source application which gives home users the ability to quickly and easily create an online blog, a term used to describe a website which provides an ongoing chronicle of information.
  Published 12Apr2010, viewed 236 times

• AC Networking
  An article concerning home networking and the various options available including wired, wireless, modems routers and networking options.
  Published 11Apr2010, viewed 211 times

• Windows 7 Release
  Chris Holgate writes a weekly article of all things tech related. He is a director and copyrighter of the online computer consumables business Refresh Cartridges who sell cheap ink cartridges, toner cartridges, computer hardware and other computer consumables online. An archive of his work can be found at www.computerarticles.co.uk.
  Published 10Apr2010, viewed 173 times

• WordPress 2.8.5
  review of WordPress, a program which is a free and open source publishing application which gives home users the ability to quickly and easily create an online blog using their own domain name.
  Published 10Apr2010, viewed 157 times

• iPhone Games
  It seems that the iPhone is now giving other devices a run for their money when it comes to gaming. This article talks about the kind of things the iPhone can now offer.
  Published 10Apr2010, viewed 239 times

• World of Warcraft
  The gaming world has been rocked since the online game World of Warcraft (WOW) was released. This article gives an insight into what it is like to enter the WOW phenomena and explains how the game works.
  Published 10Apr2010, viewed 236 times

• Microsoft Office 2010
  This article compares Microsoft Office 2010 to the earlier versions, shows the pros and cons and talks about any new features.
  Published 09Apr2010, viewed 192 times

• Aviary Online Design Suite
  Aviary is essentially a free online design suite which consists of many powerful tools ranging from a simple audio editor to a variety of fairly sophisticated image/vector editing software.
  Published 08Apr2010, viewed 223 times

• Cooliris- a free add on for Firefox and Internet Explorer.
  Cooliris is a free add-on for Firefox and Internet Explorer that enhances the way you view content on the hundreds of currently compatible sites.
  Published 07Apr2010, viewed 185 times

• Media Player Classic Home Cinema.
  Media Player Classic Home Cinema is a fantastic, simply program that can always be relied upon to do a job well. It has no fancy skins or modern looking icons, you simply get a blank screen along with play, stop, pause, rewind and fast forward buttons, a volume control and a series of options running along the top of the application in an old school grey drop-down menu. By reading the article, you'll see how the application makes up for this.
  Published 07Apr2010, viewed 271 times

• Cashback Websites - Earn Money from shopping online
  I'm amazed at how many people are unaware of the various 'cash back' sites that are present on the Internet. The idea essentially is that if you visit one of their sponsors via the site then you'll actually get a cash reward paid straight in to your account.
  Published 06Apr2010, viewed 172 times

• Windows 7 - Hidden Gems
  I've been living with Windows 7 for a good few months now and in that time have discovered a couple of little 'hidden gems' which I wanted to share with you.
  Published 06Apr2010, viewed 293 times

• Long Term Data Storage - Choosing a media type
  You may imagine that the data could be burnt to CD, locked in a cupboard and that it would last forever however unfortunately this isn't the case. There are literally hundreds of suitably stored but physically decayed CD's from my teenage years which I could use as testament to that.
  Published 06Apr2010, viewed 288 times

• Pidgin - Multiple Instant Messenger Service
  Formally known as Gaim, Pidgin is an open-source messaging program that allows the simultaneous use of multiple instant messenger services through one application.
  Published 05Apr2010, viewed 210 times

• Google Books - Online literacy database
  The idea of Google Books was first conceived in 2002 when a small group of Google programmers started pondering the question of how many man hours it would take to scan every single book ever written.
  Published 05Apr2010, viewed 198 times

• Spider Player - Audio Only Media Player
  An overview of the free music only media player 'Spider Player' including features, advantages and where to get download.
  Published 26Mar2010, viewed 193 times

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