Articles in Category: Internet

The Internet – the global network of networks and one of the most significant and powerful things to have come along ever.

Google Drive and The Cloud

Setting Up Google Drive Desktop

Google Drive is similar to Microsoft OneDrive, but without many of the drawbacks. Lets set it up.

A person sitting at a desk, using a computer with the Microsoft Edge browser open. The start page is cluttered with ads, news, and Microsoft services, with the user looking frustrated as they navigate the settings to reduce the clutter.

Tame Microsoft Edge: How to Customize Your Browser

Like many Microsoft products, Edge is a bit pushy. We can get some of that out of your face.

A desktop with multiple computers on it each displaying the OneDrive logo on the screen.

Why Is My Desktop in OneDrive?

OneDrive’s backup feature can cause confusion and even chaos. I’ll review its impact on your computer’s desktop and what to do about it.

Cloud storage service icons, in a cloud.

What’s the Difference Between OneDrive and Google Drive and Similar Services?

I’ll review the most popular cloud storage offerings, how they differ, and which I use (and why).

A person walking through a dense forest, leaving a trail of cookies behind them.

What Are Tracking Cookies, and Should They Concern Me?

Cookies are placed on your machine by websites — often more websites than you realize. We’ll review cookies and how third parties can use them.

A desktop computer screen displaying Google Photos with a photo being downloaded.

Does Downloading a Photo Delete that Photo Online?

Downloading, copying, and moving are all important concepts to file management, online and off.

OneDrive & OneDrive

How Do I Transfer Files From an Old OneDrive to Another?

Multiple Microsoft accounts, each with its separate OneDrive, can lead to confusion.

OneDrive is not a backup. OneDrive is file synchronization.

OneDrive Is Not Backup

OneDrive is not a backup solution. OneDrive is for file synchronization. It’s critical you understand the difference.

A a Windows PC screen with a 'Downloads' folder open, displaying various file types like PDFs, images, and software. The surrounding workspace is tidy, with a coffee mug, notepad, and pens. The setting is modern and well-lit, highlighting the simplicity of managing downloads on a computer.

How Do I Find My Downloads on My PC?

Downloading a file from the internet is easy, but knowing and controlling where downloads go takes a little more understanding.

OneDrive

How Files On-Demand Affect Recovering OneDrive Files

OneDrive’s Files On-Demand feature may confuse you into thinking you have a file on your computer that you do not.

Deleted Files Are Removed Everywhere

“Deleted Files Are Removed Everywhere” — What Does It Mean?

It’s a scary warning that doesn’t quite mean what it says but is important to understand. I’ll explain.

A photorealistic image of a person sitting at a desktop computer, writing an email. The computer screen displays the email message, clearly starting with 'Dear Mom,'. The setting is a cozy home office with personal items like family photos, books, and a coffee mug.

Does Technology Isolate or Connect?

There are those who feel that technology isolates us from the world. I maintain that, while it’s certainly a tool that can be misused, it can still be a tool for connection.

A computer screen. On the screen, there are synchronization arrows connecting to a cloud icon, illustrating the cloud sync process. The background features a modern office setup with a keyboard and mouse on the desk, and a tidy workspace.

Managing Files on Your PC and in the Cloud

Document management can be complex and confusing, particularly when cloud storage is involved. I’ll review why that is and suggest how to manage it.

FREE? Deceptive terms may apply.

Free Is Not Free

Free downloads, free scans, free trials — so many things on the internet are free! Or are they?

A cloud disgorging a stream of video images into a funnel on top of a desktop PC.

Optimizing Video Playback: How to Choose Between Streaming and Downloading

Streaming video sites have some features that make the answer more complicated than it would seem.

A Broken Cloud

Use the Cloud; Just Don’t Rely on the Cloud

Online services, aka “the cloud”, are often treated as if they are invincible. They’re not. They represent a single point of failure that could cost you your data.

A Google logo in a partially submerged sinking rowboat on the ocean. The scene shows a clear blue sky and calm sea. The rowboat is old and wooden, tilted to one side, taking in water, emphasizing the sense of sinking. The Google logo is prominently displayed on the side of the boat, colorful and contrasting with the natural oceanic background.

Why I’ve Stopped Using Google Search

Google search used to be the winner by far, but recent decreases in its trustworthiness and the improved offerings of other search engines make switching a pragmatic choice.

The scene includes a frustrated user in front of a computer displaying a frozen web page, with thought bubbles or icons surrounding them. These icons represent different troubleshooting steps like scanning for malware (depicted by a magnifying glass over a bug), clearing the browser cache (a broom sweeping browser windows), disabling add-ons (a plug or extension cord with a cross over it), and reinstalling the browser (an arrow circling a browser logo).

6 Steps to Fix Your Browser Problems

Browser problems can be caused by any number of things that may or may not include the browser itself. I’ll review common troubleshooting techniques.

Internal Server Error

How Do I Fix “Internal Server Error”?

An Internal Server Error happens within the server attempting to show you a webpage. It’s usually a server-side problem out of your control.

Puzzle pieces of various digital file icons (documents, photos, videos) coming together to form a large cloud symbol, which represents the OneDrive cloud.

How Do I Download All OneDrive Files to My PC?

Downloading all your OneDrive files isn’t particularly difficult; it’s just not particularly obvious. I’ll show you two ways to do it.

Office witrh

Is OneDrive Free?

OneDrive has both free and paid offerings.

A cartoon duck stands in the middle of a vibrant, digitally illustrated scene, holding a USB cable. The left end of the USB cable is plugged into a fluffy, cartoonish cloud.

Is There a Way to Use OneDrive as a Dumb Hard Drive?

Yes, you can use OneDrive online without using OneDrive on your PC or going to OneDrive.com. I’ll show you how.

A computer screen overwhelmed by multiple GDPR Cookie Consent pop-up windows. The screen is cluttered with various consent requests, each asking for approval to use cookies, demonstrating the frequency and abundance of these requests while browsing the internet. The pop-ups vary in size and design, reflecting the diversity of websites and their approaches to obtaining consent. In the background of the computer screen, you can see the faint outline of a web page, barely visible through the myriad of consent forms.

Should I Accept Cookies On My Computer?

You’ll be asked again and again whether or not a site can leave cookies. I’ll explain why, what the ramifications are, and my suggested answer.

A cartoon-style image of a surprised person sitting in front of their computer. The computer screen is overflowing with colorful pop-up ads, each showing products that the person has recently viewed online, like electronics, books, and clothing. The person's expression is exaggerated with wide eyes and a dropped jaw, capturing their shock and confusion about the nature of these targeted ads. The setting is a quirky home office with a vibrant desk, a fun, stylized chair, and playful decorative items in the background.

Why Do Ads Follow Me Around the Internet?

Advertising networks notice what interests you. It might be a little creepy, but it’s not malware.

A simple and photorealistic thumbnail depicting the concept of OneDrive backups. The image shows a cloud symbolizing cloud storage and a PC (laptop or desktop) to represent local storage. Between them, there's a symbolic representation of data transfer, like files moving or a sync icon. The background should be clean and minimalist, possibly with a subtle OneDrive logo or color scheme. This image is designed to visually represent the concept of syncing and backing up files from OneDrive to a PC.

How Do I Backup OneDrive Files?

You shouldn’t rely on OneDrive as the only place for your files. Backing them up elsewhere is important, but there may be bumps in the road.

The main feature is a large, central OneDrive icon with a striking red 'X' across it, symbolizing the goal of removal. Surrounding this icon are smaller images of frustrated users at their computers, overwhelmed by OneDrive notifications and pop-ups. Each user's face shows clear annoyance and confusion, representing the intrusiveness of OneDrive. The background includes a concise list of steps for uninstalling OneDrive, like 'Unlink account', 'Uninstall OneDrive app', and 'Organize files'. The design should be bold and straightforward, making it very clear that the tutorial is about removing OneDrive from a Windows computer, appealing to viewers who are looking for a solution to this specific issue.

How Do I Get Rid of OneDrive?

Some people just want it GONE. I’ll show you how to get rid of OneDrive.

Is Private Browsing Really Private?

Incognito, Private, or In Private modes protect your privacy to a point. It’s critical to know where that point is.

The image should feature a modern computer or laptop with the screen showing the FaxZero interface, symbolizing online fax services. Include elements like a scanned document and a smartphone, representing ways to digitize paper documents for faxing. The background should be tech-oriented, with subtle fax-related symbols, making the image informative and visually appealing for viewers interested in fax solutions without additional hardware.

How to Send a Fax From Your PC

Sending a fax is less and less common, but as it turns out, it’s also very easy.

about:blank#blocked

What Is “about:blank” (or “about:blank#blocked”) and How Do I Get Rid of It?

About:blank is a special blank page in browsers that appears due to problems, malware, or malware removal. It can also be a useful home page.

Cache

What Is a Browser Cache? How Do I Clear It?

Clearing your browser cache is the first thing to try when you encounter webpage problems. I’ll look at why and how to clear your cache.

Remember Me!

How Websites Remember You: Diving into Cookies & More

Websites remember that you signed in previously both as a convenience and as a way to make using the site possible.

Memory Usage Matters

Do Multiple Browser Processes in Task Manager Slow My Computer?

Multiple instances of your browser showing in the task manager is not a problem — it’s how browsers work. It’s the total RAM usage you should pay attention to.

Computer Help

7 Things Your Sysadmin Probably Won’t Tell You

If you run a website and have someone administering it for you — a system administrator or “sysadmin” — they may have much more power than you realize.

Credit Card

What Can I Do If Someone Uses My Credit Card Online?

Using someone else’s credit card online illegally is identity theft. There’s not a lot you can do except report it.

Website Construction concept

What Is JavaScript and Why Do I Need It?

JavaScript is a programming language that operates important features on many websites.

Microsoft Edge

How Do I Delete and Reinstall Microsoft Edge?

Since Edge is a component of Windows itself, uninstalling it isn’t an option. I’ll review alternatives to help resolve Edge problems.

See Ya!

If I Leave a Service Like LastPass, Does My Data Remain Online?

When you leave a service, or if your information is stolen from that service, there may be steps you need to take.

Microsoft Edge

How Do I Get Rid of Edge in Windows 11?

Edge is essentially impossible to remove. I’ll review the choices you have.

Google Logo

Will Google Delete Inactive Accounts?

Google is changing their account inactivity policy. This may have some serious ramifications, but it’s easy to keep your account from being deleted.

OneDrive backup - just say no.

The Problem With OneDrive Backup

OneDrive’s backup function is broken. I’ll explain why and what to do about it.

Bing

How to Change the Default Search Engine in Microsoft Edge

It is possible to change the default search engine in Edge; it’s just not obvious and sometimes ineffective.

Hammering a Back button.

Why Doesn’t “Back” Always Work?

Occasionally, the back button won’t work and simply lands you back where you were. There are reasons, and there are workarounds.

Ask Leo! in 2003

How Do I Get an Old Version of a Webpage?

It’s generally not possible to recover an older version of a webpage, but we’ll look at a couple of straws to grasp at.

Podcast microphone.

What Is Podcasting?

Podcasting delivers periodic or serialized audio content to your portable devices and other players.

Imgburn homepage

Don’t Be Fooled By Ads

Advertisements support the free information available online. It’s critical that you can distinguish ads from genuine content.

Duplicate Downloads

What’s the (Number) Added to Some of My Downloads?

Your browser may add a number to your download’s file name to avoid collisions if you download a file of the same name more than once.

Use Common Sense

Just What Is Common Sense?

‘Common sense’ is frequently suggested, often missing, and rarely defined. I’ll take a look at some of what I feel are the characteristics of common sense.

Secure cloud storage

Is Using the Cloud Safe?

As security compromises seem to happen regularly, many ask, “Is using the cloud safe?” It’s as safe as you make it.

The Cloud

Is My Information Safe in the Cloud?

‘The cloud’ is the latest buzzword for internet-based services. It’s important to understand a few things about cloud security.

Browsing history.

Why Are There Sites in My History I’ve Never Been To?

Occasionally, sites appear in your browser history that you never visited. I’ll examine some possible causes.