Carol and I have been writing tech tips for quite a while now. Some weeks are harder than others, to come up with a tip that seems interesting. This week’s is about the Windows 10 built-in tech tip guide. I have a page describing it HERE.

It’s cool because it’s dynamic, and it offers specific help within Window 10. The one I got a kick out of was the Home Learning tip. It’s a set of pages that can help with home education, including multiplication tables, reading, and the history of the world, from Plate Tectonics to Behavior of Space Objects.
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There’s WAY more. There are tips for using Office, Windows, and keyboard shortcuts, templates for things. Check it out and see what you can find that might be useful or fun.

Last week I wrote about older computers and software. It was pointed out, by Sid Guddes, that there is an alternative to keeping an old computer and its software. I’m including Sid’s very excellent email to me below. I’ll have some additional comments below that.
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“Saw your article on old software that won't run on Windows 10.  Although it's perfectly fine to have two computers, that takes more desk space and is a pain if data needs to be shared between the two computers.  Also, eventually the old Windows 98 computer will have stuff go wrong and it may be difficult or impossible to get replacement parts.

An alternative is VirtualBox.  VirtualBox is open source that allows you to create one or more virtual machines (VM) on your PC.  So if you have a Windows 10 PC, you can create say Windows XP, Windows 98, and Linux virtual machines and effortlessly switch between them.

There are a couple of drawbacks to VirtualBox:

- each VM needs RAM, so your PC needs lots of RAM
- there is some overhead to running a VM, but if your PC is fast enough, you likely won't notice the overhead
- VirtualBox does not include any Windows licenses, so once you create say a Windows 98 VM, you'll need the Windows 98 install disks

In spite of this, VirtualBox (or its ilk) can be a good alternative to be able to run old Windows software.  Other vendors (VMware, Microsoft, Citrix, Xen) also have virtual machine products.

There are other advantages to using a VM.  Say you want to install software but are suspicious it may be malicious.  You can create a VM with just a small self-contained C: drive and install the software there.  If it misbehaves, you can just delete the VM and the rest of your system is secure.  Or if you're going to browse a web site that might be malicious, same thing.”

Sid is, of course, absolutely correct. My only take on this would be that not everyone wants to create a VM world on their computer. Many folks just want to use their computer and getting any more into that is more bother than they want. For that, the simplest solution is to have multiple computers. I know a guy with at least 4. His software is no longer available, and he doesn’t have copies to load into a VM. This is quite precarious for the reasons that Sid mentioned.

I use VirtuaBox on my MacBook to run Windows 10. It was pretty easy to install, and works flawlessly. It is a very cool product. I knew a computer guy in Northfield Illinois that ran several instances of VirtualBox operating systems on a single server. Multiple Windows versions, Linux, and Mac OS. There are a lot of possibilities out there.

Interested in running Windodws 10 on your Mac?  click here.

I’ve worked on several Windows 7 computers over the last few weeks. I thought they would be rarer, and I talked to someone who is using an XP computer. What struck me about the Windows 7 computers was how similar to Windows 10 it really is. Also, the old programs on it that aren’t around today. Picasa was one, and Word Perfect was another.
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Those programs, and several others, run fine on Windows 7 and the old software can be a serious investment, so says my friend still keeping his Windows 98 computer. And really, that is the reason to hang onto an old computer, for the expensive software.

That is no reason, however, not to get a new computer running Windows 10. Windows 7 computers are having a harder time out there when browsing the WEB. As browsers on Win 7 no longer get updated, they fall behind in security, and some websites will not display on them. My XP friend is starting to run into that more often.

If you absolutely can’t leave your Windows 7 or XP, I did find a browser that purportedly is maintaining their security on those platforms. It’s called MyPal, and it’s a branch of Mozilla’s Firefox lineage. I’ll offer it as a stopgap till you come to your senses. You can find it HERE.

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/mypal.html
I haven’t tried it, but it seems like there are a lot of stubborn folks out there and this browser was created to fulfill that group’s need. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.

I use Google Chrome quite a bit. It has been referred to as the most common spyware out there, and I understand that. Google is looking at everything you do, whether you told them not to or not.
Still, I use Chrome all day. Sometimes it seems like it slows down a lot and I don't know why. So I found an article on that. It's worth a try, you can read it HERE.
​Also, I'd like to thank the folks that have donated computers and electronics to me and the one's that have taken them. I have fun taking stuff apart, fixing them up, and giving them away. Thank you everyone.

If you have some spare time at home and want a productive project, consider creating a digital archive of your personal papers.

While this week’s World Backup Day is typically celebrated most by hard-drive makers and data-storage services, it’s supposed to make people remember to back up their computers. But even if you’re already backing up your digital files, do you have a backup plan for your one-of-a-kind documents and photos that you have only on paper — like birth certificates, marriage licenses and military-discharge papers?
Scanning copies of your personal papers creates a digital archive that can also be used as a backup, especially if you have the files password-protected and stored in a secure location. And even if you don’t have a document scanner, you can create your personal archive with a smartphone, a few apps and a bit of time. Here’s a guide to getting started.

Step 1: Get Organized. Gather all the documents you want to digitize. In addition to vital records, consider other papers you’ve saved over the years and might want to share, like old letters, certificates, diplomas, newspaper clippings, heirloom family photographs and other sentimental souvenirs tucked away in albums or boxes. (Keep in mind that while the electronic copies of some documents may not be suitable for official use, you can use them yourself for quick reference.)
 
Digitizing documents is not an inherently exciting task, but it can go faster if you have your papers stacked and ready to scan. Credit...J.D. Biersdorfer
Scanning a big pile of documents is repetitive, but it goes faster when you have the stack organized and are working in a clean, well-lit area. Spin up your favorite playlist or podcast while you scan, but avoid open beverages nearby that may spill on your papers.

​Step 2: Use a Scanner (if You Have One)
Do you have a printer that was sold as a “multifunction” device but that you’ve never used for more than printing? Dig up the manual, because your device can probably scan and photocopy as well. You may need to install utility software or find the scanning function in your computer’s system settings.
 
If you have a multifunction printer with a scanner, open the printer’s control panel or utility app to get to the scanning software, where you can choose the scan resolution and storage location. Credit...The New York Times
Once you have it set up, open the scanning cover on the top of the printer and place your original document or photograph face down on the glass. Close the lid and select the Scan option on the printer or computer screen to create the digital file.

Step 3: Scan With a Mobile App.
​If you don’t have a scanner, your smartphone can fill in. Just browse your app store and download a mobile scanning app. These apps use your phone’s camera to capture an image of the page. That image is saved as a PDF or JPG file to your phone or an online storage site. Be sure to read the app’s privacy policy first so you know where your data is being stored and managed by the company.