Ask Mr. Modem! – January 2007     
www.MrModem.com 

Q.  I’ve been told that no matter who sends me an email attachment, I should save it, close my email program, then go to the file, right-click and scan it with my anti-virus program. Would one way to avoid that be to have my family members put a little code, like their initials, in the Subject line which would confirm the email was really from them? One of my friends suggested that and I thought it was a pretty good idea. 

A.  Your friend’s suggestion is well-intentioned, but it contains a fatal flaw in that the person placing initials on the Subject line might not know if his or her computer is infected.  If you then observed the initials, you might incorrectly conclude that the message was safe, open it, and presto, infecto!  The suggested “secret code” would only let you know that the message is from the designated sender. So will looking at the From: field.  

Any good anti-virus program is going to check all incoming email, which is the best way to protect yourself. My favorite anti-virus program is AVG Anti-Virus. It’s available in both free and paid versions, and most people do just fine with the free version, at http://tinyurl.com/kco2f.


Q.  I’ve got several hundred photo slides that I took through the years and lots of old family vacation photos. I don’t have a slide projector anymore, but was curious if I could transfer my slides to a CD? Thanks for being there, Mr. M. My subscription to your weekly newsletter is the best five bucks I spend each month.

A.  Thanks very much. Yes, you can definitely put those old slides and photographs on a CD. The two devices you’ll need to accomplish that are a scanner, to convert the slides into digital images, and a CD burner.

Some scanners can handle slides and even photo negatives. The Epson Perfection 2480 Photo Scanner (http://tinyurl.com/y5lfqk) is one such device, and its $99 price is excellent considering that just a few years ago this same type of scanner was in the $500 range.  After you scan your slides and save them to your computer’s hard drive, burn them to CD using your CD-burning software, and you’re done.

There are also professional services that will convert your slides and photos to digital format and place them on CD for you. DigMyPics.com, for example, will digitize photos, slides, film negatives, film cartridges, and large-format film. You will be notified by email when your project is completed and you can then view the results on the Web.


Q.  I’m using Outlook Express, but it seems to automatically add names to my address book, which includes many names that I don’t want to include.  Do you know what’s going on or how can I stop it?

A.  One of the options in Outlook Express -- some call it a feature -- automatically adds the names and email addresses of people you reply to by email. If you prefer a more discriminating approach, you can disable that option by clicking Tools > Options > Send tab.  Under the “Sending” section, remove the check mark beside "Automatically put people I reply to in my Address Book." Click Apply > OK to save and exit.


Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Sites of the Month -  January 2007

Disturbing Auctions
When it comes to bizarre auction items, this is the place to be. This site doesn’t waste time with fake auction merchandise like the infamous human kidney auction hoax, but instead the focus here is world-class tacky stuff that people really, honestly, believe that someone will buy. So if you’re looking for a Clark Gable candle, a chicken hat, or a Saddam Hussein hand puppet, your search has ended. 
www.disturbingauctions.com/

Energy Drink Reviews
Drinks such as Red Bull and Zoom are extraordinarily popular, particularly with young people today. This informative site reviews more than 100 energy-boosting beverages based on taste, cost, and "pump upedness." (Make mine decaf, please.)
www.bandddesigns.com/energy/

Movie Origins 
Features the fascinating real-life stories behind many films. Read about the actual people whose lives inspired block-buster movies such as Erin Brockovich, A League of Their Own, Goodfellas, Men of Honor, The Mr. Modem Story, Boys Don’t Cry, Schindler’s List, and many more.
www.movieorigins.com/

Mr. Modem’s weekly computer-help newsletter provides prompt, personal answers to your computer and Internet questions by email, plus easy-to-use computer tips, including Windows Vista! For more information, to view a sample issue, or to subscribe, visit www.MrModem.com.