Leo's Answers #36 – July 28, 2006

Leo's Answers
A Weekly Newsletter From
Ask Leo!
Leo Notenboom

Hello!

*** Contents

*** New Articles of Note on Ask Leo!

Newbie? Or Normal?

Those that many of us consider to be "newbies" probably reflect the majority of computer users.

Continue reading: "Newbie? Or Normal?" Article Includes Audio
http://ask-leo.com/newbie_or_normal.html

* * *

I think I've been "phished" - what should I do?

I think I may have been "phished" with the "request to confirm" scam email. How can I tell? And if I have been "phished" what do I do now?

First, don't feel too bad - phishing attempts are getting very, very sophisticated. I haven't fallen for one yet, but I've come darned close a time or two in recent months.

But be prepared for a painful recovery, if you were phished.

How to tell depends on where in the process you are: looking at the email, after clicking a link in the email, or some time thereafter.

What to do depends on what information you gave in response to the phishing attempt.

Continue reading: "I think I've been "phished" - what should I do?"
http://ask-leo.com/i_think_ive_been_phished_what_should_i_do.html

* * *

I forgot my password - can I somehow get my auto-login remembered password?

I've forgotten my password [to a web site, mail account, instant messaging tool, etc.]. However, I can log in because I have 'remember my password' configured, so the computer just logs me in automatically since it saved password. Is there a way I can see what that password is?

Yes.

And that should scare you, because it's an important lesson about just how dangerous it is to use 'remember me'.

Why? Because if you can recover it, then anyone who has access to the machine can probably recover it.

'Remember my password' doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore, now does it?

Continue reading: "I forgot my password - can I somehow get my auto-login remembered password?"
http://ask-leo.com/i_forgot_my_password_can_i_somehow_get_my_autologin_remembered_password.html

* * *

HTML font size: why can't I increase it on some web pages?

My eyes being what they are, I find reading a larger font size on web pages much more enjoyable than what looks like size 8 on some of them. In Outlook if I click on "View" and then "Text Size", sometimes I can enlarge the text. Other times it doesn't change. Once upon a time someone told me the problem was with the programmers that constructed the page. True? If so, is there anything that could be done to help (minus of course the magnify procedures/software)?

That someone is correct. It's quite possible, and unfortunately quite common, to author a web page or parts of a web page in such a way that it ignores the "View", "Text-Size" option in Internet Explorer (and by extension, I believe Outlook and Outlook Express).

Why would a web page designer do that? Typically doing so solves a couple of problems and makes it easier to make sure that web page is laid out and displayed properly.

But there are still several ways around the problem.

Continue reading: "HTML font size: why can't I increase it on some web pages?"
http://ask-leo.com/html_font_size_why_cant_i_increase_it_on_some_web_pages.html

* * *

Does all this talk of outsourcing mean I should choose a different career?

What do you think about all the talk of outsourcing, hazy future for IT and programmers, etc. -- is it really as bad as people are forecasting? Should only the super smart math and science geeks pursue degrees and careers in computer science (or related fields) while the rest of us look to other career options? I'm seriously struggling with this. I have a bachelor's degree (but in a liberal arts), not in anything related to computer science. I have a few IT certifications under my belt, but the jobs are hard to find. And so I wonder if I should even be investing in a career with poor options for people like me who didn't major in computer science or math, or if I should move onto something different? I am very much interested in learning all I can about computers, and love tinkering around with them (too bad I only found out after graduating how cool computers are), but I don't know if I have the aptitude for it, plus if I have to compete against all those who did study it, and who are also having trouble finding jobs, maybe I should seriously consider a different career? Any help or advice would be immensely appreciated.

There are a bunch of variations on my philosophy, but it tends to boil down to the old adage: Do what you love, and the money will follow.

It sounds very trite, and unrealistic, but in my experience it's true.

In fact, in a way, it's how I came to find computer programming myself, and later, it was what I looked for in people I was interviewing as potential hires.

It's all about passion.

Continue reading: "Does all this talk of outsourcing mean I should choose a different career?"
http://ask-leo.com/does_all_this_talk_of_outsourcing_mean_i_should_choose_a_different_career.html

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*** Popular Articles from the Archives

Last week I mentioned that I get a surprising number of questions about BCC in email, and republished my article on how to use it. This week, my response to everyone who wants to see just who was BCC'ed on the email that they just got.

How to I view the list of BCC'ed recipients on an email I've received?

I want find the list of "undisclosed recipients" of the email I've received in outlook. Is there any way?

"Undisclosed recipients" is often placed in the "To:" line by some mailers when the email being sent has no entries in the "To:" or "Cc:" lines. The sender has used the "Bcc:" feature of email to send the email to one or more people, without revealing who they are.

So how do you find out who they are?

Read more... How to I view the list of BCC'ed recipients on an email I've received?
http://ask-leo.com/how_to_i_view_the_list_of_bcced_recipients_on_an_email_ive_received.html

*** Thoughts and Comments

Every once in a while I answer a question with an article that I think is particularly important. Since I get so many reports of hacked or stolen accounts, this article, new this week, seems particularly important: I forgot my password - can I somehow get my auto-login remembered password?.

It's important because the answer is "yes", and it serves to remind us all of a very important, and frequently overlooked, security issue with how we use our computers every day.

I encourage you to read it. If others have access to your computer, it might make you a little nervous. As it should.

-

Something else I keep forgetting to mention here: something I call my "mailbag".

As you can tell, I publish about an article a day, or so, on Ask Leo!. But that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the number of questions I get asked.

As it turns out, I do answer many more questions that you see published here. Quite often the answers are simple one-line solutions, or pointers to an article I've already written. Some time ago I started posting those responses as well, to http://mailbag.ask-leo.com. There you'll see a collection of (currently) over 1300 quick questions and answers. They're not pretty or polished - they're quite literally the email response I've sent to people asking questions - but they are there.

The good news is that if you use the Google search anywhere on Ask Leo!, these questions and answers are included in the results. Since I leave the questions there in their original form, it's a way to find answers using the words you might use, rather than the words I write about.

And finding answers is what it's all about, isn't it?

'till next week...

Leo

* * *

The Latest:
Forwarded Funnies: "The Little Old Lady"
Taming Email: "Don't Ask for Spam"
Leo's MovableType Tips: "Get creative with Templates"

*** Newsletter Administration

Do you have a question? A comment, perhaps? Newsletter subscribers can drop me a line at leo <at> ask-leo.com. (I only give that email address to newsletter subscribers, so I'll know it's from one of my loyal readers.) If you like, you can make sure you get past any spam filters by simply posting your question or comment using the Ask Leo! question form: http://ask-leo.com/askleo.html.

I'll be honest: I'll try to respond, but I get a lot of questions every day - I just can't answer everyone. Rest assured, though, that even if you don't hear from me directly, I read every email I get.

Leo's Answers Newsletter is a weekly publication of Ask Leo! and Leo A. Notenboom. It's also available as an RSS feed at this URL: http://ask-leo.com/newsletter.xml?UD=nl. Archives of previous newsletter issues can be found on the Ask Leo! web site, http://ask-leo.com/newsletter.html.

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Newsletter contents Copyright © 2006, Leo A. Notenboom & Puget Sound Software, LLC.

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Posted: July 28, 2006 in: 2006
Shortlink: https://newsletter.askleo.com/2736
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I'm Leo Notenboom and I've been playing with computers since I took a required programming class in 1976. I spent over 18 years as a software engineer at Microsoft, and after "retiring" in 2001 I started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place to help you find answers and become more confident using this amazing technology at our fingertips. More about Leo.

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